THE  SAW  IN 
HISTORY 


A  comprehensive  description  of  the  development  of 

this  most  useful  of  tools  from  the  earliest 

times  down  to  the  present  day 


SECOND  EDITION 


REG.  U    S,  PAT.  OFF 


Published,  in 


HENRY  DISSTON  &  SONS 

'INCORPORATED 

KEYSTONE  SAW,  TOOL,  STEEL  AND  FILE  WORKS 
PHILADELPHIA,  U.  S.  A. 

Established  1840 


DEDICATION 

TO   that  vast  army  of  workers — 
extending  from  the  crowded 
centers  of  civilization  into  the  wilds  that 
mark  the  limits  of  man's  advance  in  his 
conquering  march  against  nature — 
whose  chief  weapon  is 

THE  SAW, 
this  book  is  dedicated. 


Copyright  1916 

by 

HENRY  DISSTON  &  SONS,  INC. 
All  rights  reserved 


FOREWORD 


IT  seems  curious  that  the  saw — so  essential  a  factor  in  man's 
development,  so  intimately  interwoven  with  the  progress 

of  civilization,  so  absolutely  indispensable  to-day — has 
had  so  little  attention  from  historians. 

While  the  history  of  the  modern  saw  is  more  or  less  a 
history  of  the  development  of  the  business  of  Henry  Disston  & 
Sons,  yet  to  obtain  a  record,  at  once  comprehensive  and  ac- 
curate, of  this  most  useful  of  implements,  extensive  investiga- 
tions into  its  origin  and  early  development  were  instituted. 
Museums,  private  collections  and  musty  old  records  everywhere 
were  delved  into  for  information,  and  the  result  constitutes 
the  only  complete  history  of  the  saw  ever  compiled  in  one 
volume. 

However,  as  with  all  pioneer  undertakings  of  like  magni- 
tude, with  no  guide  to  follow  save  the  pattern  devised  from 
its  own  discoveries,  it  is  entirely  likely  that  this  work  is  not 
without  defect.  Such  slight  omissions  as  may  be  brought  to 
light  by  its  wide  circulation  will,  it  is  hoped,  be  passed  in 
tolerance  in  view  of  the  difficulties  attending  its  compilation. 


394639 


Flint  Saw 
of  the  Stone  Age 


Ancient  Egyptian  Saws 


Blade  of  Ancient  Frame  Saw 


Saw  Found  in  a  Tomb  in  Thebes,  Egypt 


THE  SAW  IN  HISTORY 

PART  ONE 

The  Ancient  Saw 

THE  saw  is  one  of  the  most  ancient  tools  known  to  man.  It  ante- 
dates civilization.  Its  use  dates  back  to  the  Neolithic  or  later 
stone  age,  before  the  discovery  of  metals,  when  only  the  crudest 
of  implements  were  constructed. 

The  bronze  age,  with  its  progress  of  mankind  toward  civilization,  brought 
a  corresponding  development  in  the  saw.  While  the  length  and  form 
of  the  stone  saws  of  the  earlier  period  were  determined  largely  by 
accident,  bronze  permitted  of  manipulation  into  desired  shapes,  and  its 


Fig.  1 

introduction  marked  a  distinct  improve- 
ment in  form.  As  the  ancients'  knowl- 
edge of  metals  increased,  iron  was  used  in 
tool  construction,  especially  in  that  of 
saws,  and  this  period  may  be  considered 
the  genesis  of  modern  saw-making. 

It  is  generally  conceded  that  nature' 
provided  the  examples  which  inspired  the 
invention    of   saws.      Some    investigators 
claim  the  saw-fish   ( Fig.  1 )  as  the  first  type ; 
others,  the  wasp   (Fig.  2),  with  the  saw-like 
action  of  its  serrated  sting. 

A  Grecian  fable  describing  the  origin  of 
the  saw  relates  how  Talus  (or  Perdix),  hav- 
ing found  the  jawbone  of  a  fish  (according  to 
some  authorities  a  serpent),  produced  an  imi- 
tation by  cutting  teeth  in  iron.  While  the  Grecian  claim  to  discovery  is 
unbacked  by  historical  authority,  such  an  origin  seems  probable. 

Saws  appear  not  to  have  been  known  in  the  time  of  Homer,  for  in  the 
minute  description  of  the  building  by  Ulysses  of  his  ship,  no  mention  of 
them  is  made,  although  if  this  tool  had  been  known,  Calypso  could  have 
supplied  it  as  easily  as  she  did  the  axe,  adze,  augers  and  other  tools.  Prob- 
ably the  Greeks,  like  other  nations,  borrowed  the  saw  from  the  Egyptians, 
on  whose  sculptures  it  appeared  at  a  very  early  period. 


'  »-  : :.':  •  -r 

The  few  specimens"  of  pieltistorie  saws  existing  in  the  museums  of  Europe 
And  America  enable,  «#  to  judge  of. the  character  and  method  of  use  of  the 
primitive  t^pes;/ trih£  feaws  6f  "J^e  bronze  age,  of  which  a  number  of  typical 
specimens  have  been  found,  more  "dearly  approach  the  forms  with  which  we 
are  familiar.  Still  more  modern  forms  were  developed  as  the  iron  age  suc- 
ceeded the  bronze  age,  and  some  iron  saws  that  date  to  Biblical  times  and 
beyond  might,  but  for  their  inferior  material  and  workmanship,  be  taken 
as  models  for 
more  modern  im- 
plements. 


Fig.  3 


Indisputable  evidence  that  bronze  saws  with 
jewelled   teeth  were  used  by  the  ancient  Egyptian 
for  cutting  the  hardest  stone  was  discovered 
by   the   eminent  Egyptologist,   Prof.   W.   M. 
Flinders  Petrie.     Sir  Austen  Henry  Sayard, 
the   Assyriologist,    found   at   Nimroud   near 
Nineveh,  a  two-handled,  iron  saw    (  Fig.  3  )  , 
3  ft.  8  in.  long  by  4f  in.  wide    (dimensions 
similar  to  those  of  the  present  day' 
saw  )  .      Saws   are  mentioned  in  the 
Bible.      It    is    said    that    Christian 
martyrs  in  the  days  of  persecution 
were     "sawn     assunder."       Grecian 
carpenters     used     saws    not    unlike 
those    of    to-day.      A    painting    dis- 
covered    at     Herculaneum     depicts 
two   genii    at    the    end    of    a   bench 
operating  a  saw  (Fig.  4)  resembling 
the    modern    frame    saw,    while    a 
drawing     found     upon     an     ancient 
tomb  shows  a  saw    (Fig.  5)    almost 
identical    with    the    bucksaw    of    to- 
day.      Cicero,     in    his     oration    for 


, 

Cluenthius,  mentions  an  ingenious  saw  with  which  a  thief  cut  out  the 
bottom  of  a  chest.  Pliny  states  that  saws  were  used  by  the  ancient  Belgre 
for  cutting  building-stone. 

The  earliest  prehistoric  saws  were  simply  small  flakes  of  flint,  notched 
by  chipping.  Rarely  more  than  3  inches  long,  with  irregular  teeth  of  doubt- 
ful sharpness  and  held  between  thumb  and  finger,  these  saws  had  very 
limited  cutting-power.  They  were  used  chiefly  in  the  manufacture  of 
ornaments  from  bone  and  soft  stones.  Excellent  specimens  found  in  the 
north  of  England  are  shown  in 
Figs.  6  and  7.  Greenwell,  in  his 
"British  Barrows,"  says  of  Fig.  7  : 

"This  instrument  is  very  like 
a  lance  point,  sharpened  and  thin 
at  the  base,  where  it  was  fastened 
to  the  haft;  but  from  the  many 
teeth  at  regular  distances  from 
each  other,  I  am  disposed  to  think 
it  has  probably  been  a  saw." 

Flint  saws  have  been  discov- 
ered in  the  caves  of  the  "reindeer 
period"  in  France,  in  the  Kjokken-  ^  Fig. 


Modelings  (ancient  stone  heaps)  of  Denmark  and  Sweden,  in  the  lake  dwel- 
lings of  Switzerland  and  northern  Italy,  and  practically  throughout  Europe. 
The  smallest  discovered  is  1£  inches  in  length  and  none  has  been  found 
longer  than  9J  inches. 

Figs.  8,  9  and  10  illustrate  some  of  the  primitive  types.  Fig.  9  appears 
to  have  been  used  both  as  a  knife  and  a  saw,  and  there  are  indications  that 
some  of  the  specimens  once  had  wooden  handles. 

The  stone-age  man's  ingenuity  increased  with  his  needs,  and  he  dis- 
covered that  by  mounting  his  serrated  flint  chips  in  a  groove  formed  in  a 


Fig.  8 


Fig.  9 


Fig.  7 


Fig.  10 


stock  of  wood  he  obtained  a  more  serviceable  tool.  The  finest  specimen  of 
this  type  ( Fig.  1 1 )  was  found  in  the  prehistoric  region  of  Polada  in  north- 
ern Italy.  Four  separate  flint  flakes  are  cemented  into  the  wooden  casing 
with  asphalt.  Swiss  archaeologists  declare  the  shape  of  the  handles  indi- 
cates that  this  was  made  for  the  use  of  a  left-handed  man.  A  similar  saw 
was  found  in  a  lake  dwelling  at  Vinelz,  Switzerland.  Mounted  specimens 
of  prehistoric  man's  handiwork  are  necessarily  rare  because  of  the  perish- 
able nature  of  wood. 

In  Scandinavia,  where  flint  is  found  in  large  blocks,  the  primitive 
saws  were  larger  and  half-moon  shaped  (Fig.  12).  The  teeth  are  on  the 
straight  edge,  which  is  from  4  to  7  inches  long. 

Dr.  Schlieman  found  flint  saws  in  abundance  during  his  extensive  ex- 
cavations on  the  site  of  ancient  Troy. 

The  universal  development  of  this  implement  under  pressure  of  neces- 
sity is  seen  in  the  fact  that  the  South  Sea  Islanders  (far  from  the  north- 
ern European  mentioned)  made  a  saw  from  sharks'  teeth,  the  Carib  Indians 
used  notched  shells,  while  the  ancient  Mexicans  used  a  volcanic  rock  called 
Obsidian  for  saw  teeth. 

Specimens  of  the  bronze  saws  which  supplanted  those  of  stone  are  rare, 
not  more  than  about  thirty  having  been  found  in  all  Europe.  A  perfect 


Fig.  11 


blade  about  9  inches  long  (Fig.  13)  was  taken  from  a  lake  dwelling  at 
Moermgen,  Switzerland.  Others  have  been  found  in  France,  Spain,  Hun- 
gary, Italy  and  Sweden,  and  in  the  last  named  country  was  found  a  stone 
mold  for  casting  bronze  saws,  in  which  four  could  be  cast  at  once  (Fig.  14). 
The  variety  of  other  sharp  tools  made  during  the  bronze  age  better  adapted 
to  the  requirements  of  that  period  probably  accounts  for  the  rarity  of 
metal  saws  among  the  relics. 

The  Hebrews 
used  saws  for 
outting  both 
wood  and  stone 
as  indicated  in  I 
Kings  7 :  9,  which 
refers  to  "costly 

stonee,    according  Fig.  12 

to  the  measures 
of  hewed  stones, 
sawed  with  saws, 
etc."  Pliny  be- 
lieved that  sawn 
slabs  composed 
the  marble  fac- 
ing of  the  palace 

of  Mausolus,  King  of  Caria  ( 350  B.  C. ) .  References  by  other  ancient 
authors  carry  both  types  of  saws  back  to  the  greatest  antiquity.  Prisoners 
of  war,  especially  noblemen,  were  sometimes  executed  with  iron  saws,  as 
mentioned  in  the  Bible  and  elsewhere  (II  Samuel  12:  31:  "And  he  brought 
forth  the  people  that  were  therein,  and  put  them  under  saws,  etc." ) .  This 
was  the  fate  of  the  prophet  Isaiah,  under  King  Manassel,  according  to  the 
writings  of  tKe  church  fathers,  Justin  Martyr,  Origen,  Epiphanius  and 
Sactantius.  This  terrible  punishment  was  known  to  other  ancient  nations, 
notably  the  Egyptians,  Persians  and  Thracians,  and  in  a  few  instances  was 
inflicted  upon  Jews  under  Roman  emperors.  Ancient  and  Egyptian  saws, 
«»o  far  as  learned,  were  single  handled,  although  St.  James  has  been  thought 
to  allude  to  circular  saws.  Flinders  Petrie's  findings  indicate,  however, 
that  this  reference  was  probably  to  stone-cutting  saws. 

As  with  modern  Oriental  saws,  those  of  the  ancient  Egyptians  are  sup- 
posed, from  the  illustrations,  to  have  had  the  teeth  inclined  toward  the 
handle — cutting  on  the  pull — although  this  is  not  invariably  the  rule.  The 
predominant  type  was  constructed 
of  a  bronze  blade  attached  to  a 
handle  with  what  appear  to  be 
leathern  thongs.  However,  the  Brit- 
ish Museum  has  specimens  with 
tangs  for  inserting  into  the  handle, 
as  with  the  modern  knife.  Double 
saws,  strained  with  a  cord,  were 
in  use  by  the  Romans.  The  Egyp- 
tians placed  the  wood  to  be  sawed 
perpendicularly  in  a  sort  of  frame 
and  cut  downward.  The  saws  "un- 
der" or  "in"  which  David  is  said  to 
have  placed  his  captives  were  of 
iron.  A  case  of  "sawing  asunder"  by  placing  the  criminals  between  boards 
and  beginning  at  the  head,  is  mentioned  by  Shaw  in  "Travels." 

Although  one  of  the  simplest  and  oldest  of  tools,  it  was  not  until  the 
last  two  or  three  centuries  that  the  saw  attained  its  universal  importance. 
Iron  was  necessary  in  its  construction.  Stone  saws  had  no  real  value  and 
those  of  bronze  were  little  better.  Moreover,  bronze  adapted  itself  so 

8 


14 


readily  to  edged-tool  construction  that  these  practically  supplanted  the 
saw.  Many  savage  races  and  even  the  comparatively  civilized  South  Amer- 
ican aborigines  never  knew  the  saw.  Beckmann  states  that:  "In  early 
periods,  the  trunks  of  trees  were  split  with  wedges  into  as  many  thin 
pieces  as  possible;  and  if  it  was  found  necessary  to  have  these  still  thinner, 
they  were  hewn  on  both  sides  to  proper  size."  And  this  wasteful  process 
has  continued  in  use  to  comparatively  recent  times  in  countries  where 
wood  is  abundant. 

The  final  improvements  which  the  saw  received  in  ancient  times  brought 
it  to  a  close  approximation  of  some  of  the  forms  in  which  we  now  use  it. 
Beside  the  engraving  from  an  ancient  painting  shown  in  Fig.  4,  Montfaucon 
gives,  from  Gruter,  representations  of  two  kinds  of  saw — one  with  a  round 
handle,  the  other  with  a  high  wooden  frame. 

The  invention  of  steel  was  a  powerful  stimulant  in  the  development 
of  the  saw.  The  date  of  its  discovery  is  lost  in  the  past.  Hesiod  in  850 
B.  C.  refers  to  "bright  iron"  and  "block  iron,"  and  Eyelsiel  in  600  B.  C.  to 
"bright  iron."  This  latter  undoubtedly  was  a  low  grade  steel. 

The  mention  of  its  importation  from  Chalybes  to  Greece  is  the  first 
authentic  mention  of  steel.  From  ancient  history  we  learn  of  the  wonderful 
Persian  and  Damascene  sword-blades  of  steel  (335  B.  C.),  while  Diodorus,  a 
Greek,  wrote  in  50  B.  C.  of  the  Celtiberians  as  being  "armed  with  weapons 
of  excellent  temper." 

Ancient  paintings  and  other  discoveries  show  the  Egyptians  to  have 
been  familiar  with  steel  in  representations  of  similar  tools.  Blue  and  red 
seemingly  distinguished  between  steel  and  bronze.  In  1874  an  iron  wedge 
or  plate  was  discovered  embedded  in  the  masonry  of  the  Great  Pyramid, 
proving  that  the  Egyptians  produced  and  wrought  iron  5400  years  ago  in 
the  time  of  King  Cheops. 

Translations  of  the  original  Scriptures  mention  both  iron  and  steel — 
"iron,"  however,  probably  being  really  steel. 

Steel  is  the  only  metal  which  could  withstand  the  manipulation  and 
strains  in  the  manufacture  and  use  of  saws,  and 
its  employment  is  largely  responsible  for  the 
wonderul  development  in  the  saw-making  art. 


Egyptian  Sawyer  a't  Work 
9 


10 


PART  TWO 

Beginnings  of  the  Modern  Saw 

In  their  modern  adaptations,  the  many  kinds  of  saws  may  be  divided 
into  two  general  classes,  viz.,  reciprocating  and  continuous  action.  As  ex- 
amples— the  handsaw  (reciprocating),  circular  and  band-saws  (continuous). 
Reciprocating  saws  are  naturally  the  oldest  variety  and  more  are  in  use  than 
all  others  combined.  This  type  may  be  again  divided  into  "rip"  and  "cross- 
cut" saws.  These  are  used  respectively  parallel  with  and  at  right  angles  to 
the  "grain"  or  direction  of  the  fibres.  There  are  hundreds  of  styles  of  these 
saws  in  common  use,  each  for  a  specific  kind  of  work.  In  general,  handsaws 

cut  on  the 
"push"  -  Jap- 
anese and  some 
other  Oriental 
saws  being]  ex- 
Pig  15  ceptions,  con- 
structed to  cut 

on  the  "pull."  Fig.  15  illustrates  a  Japanese  saw,  similar  in  appearance  to 
a  butcher's  cleaver,  with  a  long  straight  handle  into  which  the  shank  or 
tang  is  driven  and  secured  by  wrapping  with  finely  split  cane.  While  dif- 
ferent in  shape,  the  metal  is  much  the  same  as  that  used  in  other 
countries. 

To  rip  a  plank,  the  Japanese  carpenter  places  the  end  across  a  support, 
stands  on  the  plank  and  operates  the  saw  with  both  hands  in  a  series  of 
quick  pulls. 

Fig.  16  shows  a  Japanese  log-splitting  saw  (a  type  still  in  use). 
Horace  Greeley  men- 
tions observing,  while  tour- 
ing Europe,  an  Italian  cut- 
ting wood  by  rubbing  it 
against  the  saw. 

Hippoc- 
rates (B.  C. 
460)  is  said 
to  have  hi- 
ve n  t  e  d  the 
first  cylinder 
or  drum  saw, 
for  use  in  the 
operation  of 
t  r  e  p  anning 
the  skull.  The 

modern    uses  Fig. 

of  this  type  of 

saw  comprise  the  cutting  of  all  kinds  of  flat  circular  forms — button-blanks, 
corks,  sheaves  for  blocks,  etc. — as  well  as  staves  for  barrels,  tubs,  buckets,  etc. 
Ihe  development  of  the  saw  has  been  more  rapid  in  comparatively  recent 
times  than  in  any  other  period.  The  real  beginning  of  modern  wood-cutting 
types  dated  from  the  introduction  of  the  power  mill — the  ordinary  recipro- 
cating up  and  down  paving  the  way  for  later  improvement.  Crude  as  were 
these  old-fashioned  upright  saws,  they  were  a  big  improvement  over  the 

11 


previous  method  of  sawing  a  log  with  one  man  in  a  pit  beneath  it  and 
another  standing  above.  The  innovation  caused  considerable  unrest  in  the 
labor  world,  hand-sawyers  fearing  that  their  employment  was  gone. 

The  earliest  mills  were  driven  by  wind  power,  but  a  13th  century 
manuscript  shows  a  water-wheel  saw. 

Germany  had  water-power  mills  as  early  as  1322  (Ansburg).  Holland 
had  saw-mills  nearly  a  century  before  England,  where  the  workmen  refused 
to  permit  their  introduction.  In  1663  a  Hollander  erected  the  first  saw-mill 
in  England,  near  London,  but  it  had  to  be  abandoned  because  of  the  riots  it 

occasioned  among  the  hand-sawyers. 
More  than  a  century  later,  in  1768, 
a  wind-power  mill  was  erected  for 
a  lumber  merchant  by  the  name 
of  Hough  ton,  but  this,  too,  was 
torn  to  pieces  by  a  mob.  The 
rioters  were  severely  punished,  and 
the  owner  reimbursed  by  the  gov- 
ernment, under  whose  protection 
several  mills  were  built. 

With  the  discovery  of  Madeira, 
in  1420,  saw-mills  were  erected  there 
to  make  lumber  for  export  to  Por- 
tugal. Saw-mills  were  erected  in 
Breslau,  1427  ;  in  1490  by  the  magis- 
trates of  Erfurt  in  a  forest  which 
they  had  purchased;  in  Norway, 
1530;  at  Holstein,  1547;  Lyons, 
1555;  Zaandam,  Holland,  1596; 
and  in  Sweden  around  1658.  The 
rapid  development  of  the  early 
saws  is  seen  in  the  fact  that  a 
gang-saw  mill  was  built  on  the 
Danube  in  1575.  Gang-saws,  con- 
sisting of  a  number  of  blades  to 
cut  a  log  into  boards  with  one 
operation,  have  been  generally  re- 
garded as  of  later  origin  than  this. 
However,  in  a  work  of  Jacobi  Besony  (Lyons,  1878)  are  illustrated  two 
types  of  gang-saw  mills,  the  blades  in  one  having  teeth  on  both  edges.  These 
were  only  isolated  instances,  the  average  mill  of  the  period  having  but 
one  blade. 

America's  first  saw-mill  was  built  at  the  Falls  of  Piscatauqua,  on  the 
line  between  Maine  and  New  Hampshire,  in  1634.  Unauthenticated  records, 
however,  claim  that  as  early  as  1633  several  mills  were  operating  in  New 
York  State.  Before  the  arrival  of  William  Penn  in  1681  saw-mills  had  been 
erected  along  the  Delaware  by  the  Dutch  and  Swedes.  In  1803  there  was  a 
steam  saw-mill  in  New  Orleans,  which  met  the  fate  of  the  early  English 
mills,  being  burned  by  hand-sawyers.  While  a  successful  saw-mill  was  built 
in  Glasgow,  Scotland,  in  1834,  and  others  were  established  at  subsequent 
dates,  little  progress  was  made  in  wood-cutting  machinery  until  John  Mc- 
Dowell put  up  a  plant  at  Johnstown.  He  at  once  gained  prominence  by 
making  the  first  frame-saws  supplied  to  Glasgow  as  well  as  England — 
including  the  British  Government. 

These  mills  were  all  of  the  vertical  reciprocating  type — thr>  saws  being 
strained  along  a  strong  rectangular  frame  driven  along  suitable  guides  by  a 
crank  on  a  revolving  shaft,  usually  below  the  frame.  A  sliding  carriage, 
which  automatically  moved  a  certain  distance  at  each  stroke,  carried  the 
log.  After  each  cut  the  log  was  moved  laterally,  the  distance  corresponding 
to  the  thickness  of  the  lumber  being  cut.  Old-time  sawyers  will  remember 
when  logs  had  to  be  moved  with  a  bar  after  each  cut. 

12 


At  this  time  saw  sharpening  was 
a  secret  process.  The  sharpener  worked 
in  an  isolated  room  and  sawyers  were 
required  to  ring  a  bell  before  being  per- 
mitted to  speak  to  him. 

These  stories  of  these  early  mills 
have  been  recounted  at  considerable 
length  because  they  are  inseparably  con- 
nected with  the  development  and  pro- 
gress of  the  saw-making  art.  The  in- 
creasing requirements  of  the  millmen 
necessitated  a  constant  search  on  the 
part  of  saw  manufacturers  not  only  for 
improvements  in  the  design  of  their 
saws,  but  also  in  the  quality  to  meet 
the  strains  of  greater  speed  and  larger 
output.  And  one  of  the  most  important 
factors  in  modern  progress  has  been 
the  improvement  in  saw-making. 

The  next  great  progressive  step  was 
the  invention  (or  re-invention)  of  the 
circular  saw.  While  the  hand-saw  is  as 
old  as  history  itself,  the  circular  saw, 
as  now  used,  is  a  comparatively  recent 
innovation.  Circular  saws  were  used  for 
cutting  the  spaces  between  the  teeth 
of  clock  wheels  long  before  they  were 
used  for  cutting  wood  (probably  sug- 
gesting the  milling  machine  now  so  uni- 
versally used  in  gear-cutting).  The  ear- 
liest patent  on  circular  saws  is  No. 
1152,  granted  to  Samuel  Miller  in  Eng- 
land, August  5,  1777,  although  it  is 
claimed  that  similar  saws  were  in  use  in 
Holland  nearly  a  century  before.  In  any 
event,  circular  saws  are  believed  to  have 
been  introduced  into  England  for  practical  wood-cutting  purposes  about 
1790.  In  1804  a  man  named  Trotter  secured  a  patent  on  a  circular  saw,  and 
Sir  Samuel  Bentham  (who  later  invented  a  circular  saw  made  in  segments) 
irade  a  circular  saw  for  the  British  Admiralty  prior  to  1800.  Historians 
credit  T.  Brunei  with  first  bringing  circular  saws  into  important  service. 
He  employed  them  for  cutting  ship's  blocks  —  an  application  adopted  by  the 
British  Admiralty  Board  in  1804  for  the  Portsmouth  Yard.  Brunei 
patented  a  veneer-saw  in  1805,  marking  another  advance. 

The  first  circular  saw  in  this  country  is  supposed  to  have  been  produced 
by  Benjamin  Cummins,  about  1814,  at  Bentonsville,  N.  Y.  —  his  facilities 
consisting  solely  of  the  ordinary  tools  and  equipment  of  a  blacksmith's  shop. 
The  fate  so  often  accorded  great  men  was  his,  for  he  now  lies  in  a  lonely, 
secluded  spot  in  the  northwest  corner  of  the  cemetery  of  the  little  village  of 
Richmond,  Kalamazoo  County,  Michigan.  Half  concealed  from  view  by 
lilac  bushes  is  a  marble  slab  bearing  only  this  simple  inscription: 

"Benjamin  Cummins,  born  1772;  died  A.  D.  1843." 

The  general  use  of  circular  saws  for  manufacturing  lumber  is  supposed 
to  have  originated  in  a  patent  granted  March  16,  1820,  to  Robert  Eastman 
and  J.  Jaquith  of  Brunswick.  Me.  Since  then  countless  other  circular  saw- 
mill patents  have  been  granted. 

Water  and,  later,  steam  was  the  motive  power  of  these  saws.  Many 
years  ago  48-inch  circular  saws,  driven  by  "four  horses  walking  around," 
were  used  in  our  Western  States.  The  output  of  these  was  from  500  to  1200 
feet  of  lumber  per  day,  depending  upon  the  kind  and  quality  of  logs. 

13 


Old-time  Pit  Saws  Which  Preceded 
Saw   Mills 


m 


fc^<6 ,        .-  .mi*-  /xx-  /^J^^x,-  f«z? 


Type  of  Early  Double  Saw 


The  early  circular  saws  were  very 
crude,  with  square  mandrel  holes,  and 
were  made  only  to  special  order.  From 
1840,  however,  progress  was  rapid — the 
development  of  the  inserted  tooth  at 
about  this  time  being  one  of  the  great- 
est progressive  strides  ever  taken  in 
saw-making. 

No  really  satisfactory  method  of 
holding  the  teeth  in  place  was  devised 
until  1859,  when  a  man  named  Spauld- 
ing,  while  experimenting  in  Sacramento, 
CaL,  discovered  that  curved  sockets 
would  hold  the  teeth  firmly  and  securely. 
This  method  protects  the  plate  also  by 
reducing  the  tendency  to  crack. 

The  problem  still  confronted  the 
sawmakers,  however,  of  reducing  the 
time  and  power  consumed,  as  well  as  the 
waste  in  sawdust,  in  converting  logs  into 
boards.  Eventually,  the  perfecting  of  the 
band-saw  proved  to  be  the  solution. 

William  Newberry  of  London,  Eng- 
land, patented  the  first  endless  band-saw 
in  1808,  although  his  machine  was  never 
developed  further  than  the  model  sub- 
mitted to  the  Patent  Office.  Although 
Newberry  was  the  first  of  modern  timus 
to  see  the  possibilities  of  the  band-saw, 
he  cannot  justly  be  said  to  have  origi- 
nated it.  Archaeologists  have  brought  to 
light  proof  that  in  numerous  instances 
the  band-saw  had  been  brought  very 
nearly  to  its  present  form  by  ancient 
peoples.  Then,  too,  in  the  patent  papers 
of  Sir  Samuel  Bentham  in  1791  and 


Early 


Types  of  Inserted  Teeth  for 
Circular  Saws 


1793  are  many  modern  forerunners  of  distinctly  modern  saws.     The  great 

difficulty,  however,  in  making  a  smooth,  strong  joint  in  the  steel  band  was  a 

stumbling-block  which  arrested  practical  development  until  Newberry's  time. 

To  Ferine,  of  Paris,  is  due  the  credit  for  the  improvements  which  made  the 

general  use  of  the  band-saw  pos- 
sible. The  old  difficulty  in  joining  the 
blade  so  that  it  would  run  over  the 
wheels  without  breaking  was  not 
overcome  until  nearly  forty  years 
after  Newberry  gave  this  type  of 
saw  to  the  world.  Then,  about 
1846,  a  Mile.  Crepin,  a  French 
woman  of  great  mechanical  genius, 
secured  in  France  a  patent  on  a 
machine  similar  to  Newberry's. 
This  patent  was  later  obtained  by 
Ferine,  and  the  saw  greatly  im- 
proved by  him — a  suitable  joint 
was  perfected  and  the  band-saw 
became  a  practical  reality. 

The  next  important  improve- 
ments were  by  Thouard,  also  of 
France,  in  1842,  when  he  put  the 
band-saw  on  a  commercially  prac- 
tical form,  but  it  was  not  until 
Perine's  final  improvements  were 
made  that  it  became  profitable  for 
Original  Rand-Saw  of  1808  general  use. 

These  old  band-saws,  although 

giving  increased  output  over  the  up-and-down  gang  saws  and  circular  saws 

of  the  day,  were  quite  small,  crude 

and   limited    in    their   work.      The 

following    typical    incident    shows 

the    skepticism    \vith    which    they 

were  received: 

About  1860  a  man  named  Mo 

Cormick  purchased  a  band-saw  in 

England.    After  a  very  short  while 

in  service  it  was  removed  because 

it   did   not  do   the   work  expected 

( probably  because  of  oinskilful  man- 
agement). For  many  years  after- 
ward it  surmounted  the  McCor- 

mick  garden  fence  as  a  pointed  re- 
minder to  unruly  boys  to  keep  out 

of  the  melon  patch. 

One    feature    of   the   band-saw 

which  rapidly  popularized  it  with 

the     mill-men     was     its     thinness, 

which  meant  smaller  kerf  and  more 

boards  from  a  log  than  with  any 

other  type  of  saw. 

The  fear  at  first   felt  by  the 

operators  of  this  type  of  saw  soon 

passed,    and   as    its   use    extended, 

improvements  came  rapidly. 

The  large  proportions  and  per- 
fection of  form  of  the  present-day 

band-saws  are  strikingly  shown  in 

comparison  with  those  even  of  so 


One  of  the  first   Band-Saw   Machines 
for  Mills 


15 


recent  a  period  as 
1876.  A  6-inch  band- 
saw  exhibited  then  at 
the  Centennial  Expo- 
sition by  Henry  Diss- 
ton  &  Sons  was  con- 
sidered a  wonder ;  to- 
day the  same  firm  is 
regularly  making  18- 
inch  ban  d-s  a  w  s — 
many  of  them  toothed 
on  both  edges  to  cut 
the  log  coming  and 
going. 

This  up-to-date, 
speedy  band-saw  has 
increased  the  pro- 
ductivity of  mills  to  a 
point  never  dreamed 
of  by  the  mill-man 


One  of  the  first  Horizontal  Band-Saws 


of  bygone  days.  To  Henry  Disston  &  Sons  is  due  in  no  small  part  this 
modern  development.  Their  improved  equipment  and  methods  of  manufac- 
ture have  added  much  to  the  efficiency  of  the  saw.  Through  the  medium  of 
Disston  band-saws  the  heavy  demands  on  a  modern  lumber  mill  are  easily 
met,  and  so  the  old-time  quest  for  a  more  efficient  type  of  saw  has  ended. 


An    Early    Mill 


16 


17 


PART  THREE 

The  Modern  Saw 


We  have  now  reached  the  point  where  the  modern  saws — the  saws  we 
know  to-day — stand  out  as  the  most  useul,  the  most  necessary,  the  most 
wonderful  of  all  man's  aids  in  conquering  nature  and  furthering  the  needs 
and  comforts  of  present-day  civilization. 

A  comparison  of  the  saws  of  ancient  times  and  the  saws  of  to-day  is 
startling  to  the  average  man  who  has  not  paid  close  attention  to  the  saw  in 
its  present  state  of  perfection.  From  the  primitive  stone  implements  illus- 
trated in  the 

early)  part  of  this  mm^^MnnEH^^HB^^HBHnHI^^^BBBHHBI 
article  to  the 
m  u  1  titudinous 
variety  of  saws 
employed  to-day, 
many  of  which 
we  purpose  il- 
lustrating and 
describing,  is  a 
tremendous  a  d- 
vance.  It  shows 


Fig.     17 — The    Disston    D8    Handsaw 


clearly  the  extraordinary  progress  made  by  man  in  the  comparatively  short 
time  he  has  inhabited  the  earth  as  compared  with  its  reputed  100,000,000 
years  of  existence. 

It  is  universally  acknowledged  that  the  standard  modern  saws  for  the 

entire  world  are 
those  made  by 
Disston.  There- 
fore a  descrip- 
tion of  the  saws 
they  manufac- 
ture for  various 
purpose  s — 
especially  the 
saws  they  make 
for  mil  1-m  e  n, 
upon  whomj  rests 
the  burden  of 
supplying  the 
lumber  require- 
m  e  n  t  s  of  the 
worl  d — wi  1 1  give 
the  b  r  o  a  d  est 
conception  of 
the  saw  as  it  is 
known  to-day. 

In  an  earlier 
part  we  stated 
that  saws  came 
principally  un- 
der two  heads. 


Early    Types    of    Handsaws 


18 


viz.,  reciprocating  and  continuous.  These  again  may  be  divided  into  other 
classes. 

First,  we  will  consider  those  saws  which  come  under  the  type  of  re- 
ciprocating, for  saws  of  this  kind  are  the  more  generally  used. 

The  hand-saw,  of  which  the  Disston  No.  7  and  D-8  are  distinctively 
the  representative  types,  is  now  the  companion  of  every  mechanic  who 
has  anything 
to  do  with 
wood  in  his 
daily  work. 
We  may 
safely  say 

that  it  is  also  Fis    18 

found  in  a  vast  majority  of  the  homes  of  the  entire  world. 

Broadly  speaking,  the  term  hand-saws  includes  such  saws  as  buck, 
hack,  keyhole,  plumber's,  back,  pruning  saws  in  different  forms,  and  many 
others  for  special  purposes.  The  cross-cut  or  long  saw  and  pit  saw  may 
also  be  included  under  this  head. 

Although  each  of  these  tjTpes  is  of  essentially  different  construction  from 
the  others,  because  of  the  nature  of  the  work  it  is  called  upon  to  do,  the 

principal  and 
common  origin 
are  the  same. 

All  modern 
hand-s  a  w  s,  ex- 
cept those  of 
the  Japanese, 
cut  on  the  push 
or  the  stroke 
away  from  the 
user. 

While   the 

oldest  civilized  peoples  in  the  world — the  Egyptians,  the  Chinese  and  the 
Japanese — used  a  form  of  saw  having  the  teeth  inclined  toward  the  handle, 
this  form  was  not  universal,  as  is  evidenced  by  the  saws  exhumed  from  -the 
ruins  of  Pompeii,  and  now  preserved  in  the  museum  there.  These  saws 
cut  on  the  thrust,  just  as  those  in  use  in  Europe  and  America  to-day. 

The  standard  type  of  hand-saw  (Fig.  17)  is,  of  course,  a  direct  de- 
velopment of  the  piece  of  stone  with  a  serrated  edge  as  used  in  ancient 
times.  Its  present  shape,  which  differs  somewhat  from  the  earlier  type 
of  hand-saw,  as  will  be  noticed  by  reference  to  group  illustration,  is  an 
invention  of  Henry  Disston.  Since  he  oriwimted  it,  this  form  has  been 
widely  copied ;  but  without  success  in  securing  the  same  correct  hang,  which 
affords  the  wonderful  ease  in  handling,  nor  equaling  the  exceptional  quality 
of  the  steel. 

Making  the  blade  skewback,  as  it  is  termed,  lessens  the  weight  of  the 
blade  and  gives  proper  balance  as  well.  The  "let-in"  handle  gives  better 
control  over  the  saw,  and  the  peculiar  shape  of  the  butt  or  heel  allows  full 
sweep  of  the  blade  without  danger  of  its  catching  in  the  work. 

The  amount  of  work  which  can  be  accomplished  with  one  of  these 
modern  saws  as  compared  to  the  old-time  forms  is  wonderful,  and  could 
primitive  man,  who  roamed  the  forests  ages  ago,  have  armed  himself  with 
one  of  them,  the  story  of  civilization's  advance  might  have  been  vastly 
different. 

Reference  to  old-time  pit  saws,  as  previously  illustrated,  and  that  in 
Fig.  18,  will  show  that  this  saw,  as  used  today,  has  made  little  progress, 
in  form  at  least,  over  the  type  used  before  power-mills  came  into  existence. 
Quality  of  steel,  style  of  teeth  aid  improved  methods  of  tempering  and 
sharpening  have,  of  course,  made  it  a  more  efficient  saw,  but  these  embrace 


One  of  the  First  Saws  Made  by  Henry  Disston 


about  the  only  changes  made  since  the  days  when  King  Solomon's 
temple  builders  employed  it  in  their  work.  Naturally,  there  is 
not  much  call  for  a  saw  of  this  kind  now  and  it  is  almost  obso- 
lete. The  cross-cut  or  long  saw  fells  the  trees,  cuts  them  to 
desired  lengths,  and  then  the  circular  or  band-saw  transforms 
them  into  lumber  more  quickly  and  uniformly  than  two  men  and 


|Wto^^ 


,'Vi'YiY,Y,Y-.Y-,YYV,Y.V,Y-.V.YvV  Y  Y"/ :  V  ,  /  Y^jVVYiV.Y  .Y.V.V  •' 

Fig.   19 — Old-Time  Cross-cut  Saws 


an  old-time  pit  saw  could. 
With  a  modern  mill  of 
even  medium  capacity  the 
output  will  be  more  in 
one  day  than  these  two 
men  in  bygone  days  could 
have  done  in  months  with 
their  old-fashioned  pit 
saw. 

The  cross-cut  saw, 
which  is  of  the  recipro- 
cating type,  cuts  on  both 
strokes,  and  is  another 
saw  that  retains  its  orig- 
inal form  to  a  great  ex- 
tent ;  its  improvements 
being  represented  by  new 
methods  of  grinding, 
hardening  and  tempering, 

and  many  new  forms  of  teeth.    We  show  some  examples  of  teeth,  but  those 
illustrated  do  not  by  any  means  cover  the  whole  gamut;  different  countries 


Fig.  20. — Chain  Saw,  Open  and  Closed 


The   "Suwanee" — The   Most   Modern   Type   of   Cross-cut    Saws 

and  various  woods  requiring  special  teeth.     There  is  probably  no  other  saw 
that  is  equipped  with  so  many  varieties  of  teeth  as  long  saws. 

The  early  history  of  the  cross-cut  saw  is  obscure — its  actual  beginning 
is  lost  in 
the  misty 
past,  and 
the  oldest 
saw-makers 
of  to-day 
agree  on 

only  one   I^tv*v%vxvx^%s^.»«,-.^v^v^vxx%vxxv»vv%vvvvww%«vvx%wvv»v»wwwvw«wv^yvv"7  Mitre-Box 

point — that  Saw 

they  have  made  cross-cut  saws  as  long  as  they  have  been  in  business. 

20 


The  demand  for  something  better  and  more  efficient,  whicn  the  world's 
progress  has  constantly  created,  was  the  source  of  all  great  inventions  and 
improvements.  The  felling  of  timber  by  the  axe,  with  its  resultant  waste, 
great  expenditure  of  labor  and  loss  of  time,  led  inevitably  to  the  develop- 
ment of  cross-cut  saws.  To  the  old  up-and-down  saw  and  the  still  earlier 
pit  saw  can  probably  be  ascribed  the  direct  inspiration. 

Though  saw-makers  remember  cross-cut  saws  as  far  back  as  they  can 
recollect,  the  saws  were  always  made  of  untempered  steel.  Henry  Disston 
added  their  manufacture  to  his  business.  He,  the  first  to  give  real  strength 
and  efficiency,  also  actually  gave  the  cross-cut  saw  its  first  great  start. 

For  many  years  it  has  been  gradually  supplanting  the  axe  in  the  fell- 
ing of  trees,  for  it  enables  the  lumberman  to  do  quicker,  cleaner  work  and 
saves  the  wood.  In  Fig.  19  will  be  seen  two  old-time  cross-cut  saws.  The 
handles  on  the  lower  saw,  merely  a  modification  of  the  hand-saw  type, 
afford  the  best  clue  to  its  age.  The  upper  saw,  while  a  great  improvement 
over  the  earlier  forms,  lacks  the  finer  points  of  quality  and  efficiency  which 
distinguish  the  distinctly  modern  cross-cut  saw. 

To-day  the  immense  plant  which  Henry  Disston  founded  is  sending  the 
cross-cut  saws  they  manufacture,  with  teeth  adapted  for  every  sort  of 
wood,  to  all  the  inhabitable  parts  of  the  earth,  where  there  are  forests  to 
cut  or  lumber  to  be  made. 

One  of  the  most  important  of  the  advances  in  cross-cut  or  long  saw 
making  was  the  introduction  of  the  raker  tooth.  While  many  cross-cut 
saws  are  still  made  without  the  raker,  it  is  really  so  necessary  for  quick 
clearing  action  that  its  use  will  probably  become  much  more  general.  On 
green  timber  especially  it  insures  faster  cutting. 

While  the  cross-cut  saw  finally  has  practically  replaced  the  axe  for 
felling  and  cutting  up  trees,  its  use  is  not  by  any  means  confined  to  this 
work. 

A  curious  modification  of  the  cross-cut  saw  is  the  chain  saw.  This  is 
used  chiefly  by  the  military — the  American,  French  and  other  army  en- 
gineers being  equipped  with  it.  The  chain  saw  consists  of  a  series  of  links 
(see  Fig.  20),  each  fitted  with  saw  teeth.  When  ready  for  operation  a 
handle  is  attached  to  each  end,  the  saw  stretched  against  the  tree,  and 
worked  back  and  forth.  A  tree  interfering  with  the  movements  of  troops 
can  be  cut  away  by  two  men  in  a  comparatively  short  time  with  a  chain 
saw.  It  is  compact,  and  serviceable  for  this  purpose,  but  would  not  meet 
the  requirements  of  more  extensive  work. 

The  chain  saw,  in  suitable  form,  is  also  used  by  surgeons  for  operations 
on  the  human  skull,  and  by  veterinary  surgeons  for  bone  cutting.  It  has 
been  superseded,  to  a  certain  extent,  by  Stohlmann's  bone  saw,  but  is  still 
widely  used.  Stohlmann's  saw  consists  of  a  steel  wire,  upon  which  are 
strung  steel  discs  or  beads  with  sharp  cutting  edges.  There  is  a  handle 
on  each  end,  and  its  manner  of  use  is  similar  to  the  chain  saw. 

Under  the  head  of  reciprocating  hand-saws  we  find  a  long  line  of 
smaller  saws  for  various  purposes.  Among  the  largest  of  these  is  a  com- 
bination saw,  cutting  both  wood  and  metal,  for  the  special  use  of  plumbers. 

The  fine  teeth  on  one  edge 
are  adapted  for  cutting  lead 
pipe,  nails,  etc.,  while  the 
coarser  teeth  on  the  other 
edge  are  for  sawing  wood. 

Then   there   are   several 
forms  and  sizes  of  back  saw. 
Plumber's  Combination  Saw  This   type  is   used   for  very 

fine     cutting     requiring     a 

straight  or  even  saw  cut.  The  blade  being  so  thin,  it  is  necessary  to  have 
a  back  of  steel  or  brass  to  prevent  its  buckling.  The  larger  Back  Saws, 
20  inches  or  larger,  are  commonly  known  as  Mitre-Box  Saws.  The  special 

21 


shape  of  the  butt  or  heel  in  these  saws  prevents  its  catching  in  the  work. 

The  Compass  Saw  is  a  useful  little  tool,  having  a  fine,  tapering  blado. 
This  saw  is  used  principally  for  cutting  circles  where  it  is  first  necessary 
to  make  a  hole  with  a  center-bit. 

Another  form  of  the  Compass  Saw  is  one  with  an  adjustable  blade. 
Not  only  can  different  blades  be  easily  substituted,  but  the  blade  itself  can 
be  adjusted  to 

various    angles    in  «•  ^^ „,„««**»,.««. 

relation  to  the 
handle. 

Somewhat  sim- 
ilar to  a  Compass 
Saw  is  a  small  saw 
called   Keyhole   or   Pad 
Saw.     This  has  a  handle 
with     a     socket     large 
enough    to    receive    the 
saw  blade.     The  blade, 
which   is   adjustable   to 
any   length,    is   held   in 
position  for  use  by  the 
tightening  of  a  thumb- 
screw.     Disston    makes    a 
variety     of     these     saws. 
One  end  of  the  blade  can 
be  used  as   a  screwdriver, 
which      is      brought      into 
position  by  simply  loosen- 
ing     thumb-screw,      pushing      blade 
through    the    handle,    and    tightening 
screw  again.  Keyhole  Saw  and  Pad 

Another  variation  of  the 
Compass  Saw  is  the  Nest  of 
Faws.     This   nest   is  a  com- 
bination of  one  handle   and 
several     different    styles     of 
small    blades    which    can   be 
adjusted   to  the  handle,   ac- 
cording   to    the    size    and 
kind   of   work  to  be   done. 
Those    blades    are    of    the 
keyhole,   compass,   and 
pruning    types,    and    form 
a  compact  and  handy  tool. 
Still    another   variation    is 
the  Square  Hole  Saw.     The 
tooth  edge  on  the  heel  end 
of  the  blade  being  at  right 
angles    to    the    rest    of    the 
blade,    both    angles    of    the 
corner  are  cut  at  the  same 
time. 

The  accompanying  il- 
lustrations show  other 
curious  forms  of  small  size 
saws,  each  made  to  meet  a 
special  requirement.  These 


(\V\\NN\\\\\N\\\\\V\V\VV\\\\\\\\SVY 
Patternmaker's  Saw 


Stair  Builder's  Saw 


include    Pattern    Maker's,    Dovetail,    Turkish,    and    Stair    Builder's    saws. 
The  Turkish  Saw  is  used  in  Turkey  and  other  Oriental  countries.     Its 

teeth  are  fitted  for  cut- 
ting toward  the  handle  as 
required  by  these  peoples. 
The  Stair  Builder's  Saw 
is  adjustable  for  depth 
of  cut,  and  is  used  for 
cutting  the  bottom  or 
base  of  balustrades  when  it  is  necessary  to  fit  them  to  treads  of  stairs. 

Another  saw  illustrated  here  is  the  Joiner  Saw.  This  is  employed  by 
cabinetmakers  for  making  joints  where  extremely  fine  cutting  is  necessary. 
Special  saws-  are  also  made  to  help  the  agriculturist.  These  are  saws 
intended  for  pruning.  Some  are  toothed  on  one  edge  only;  others  have 
both  edges  toothed  with  different  styles  of  teeth,  adapted  for  dry  and  green 
wood.  A  special  type  of  crescent-shaped  pruning  saw  is  made,  principally 

for  pruning  orange  trees,  as  it 
makes  what  is  termed  a  "draw- 
cut."  That  is,  the  teeth  are  in- 
clined toward  the  handle,  which 
draws  them  into  light  branches, 
instead  of  pushing  the  branches 

r^~V^  away  as  an  ordinary  saw  would  do. 

\  There    is    also    a    combination 

V  \  hook   and   saw  made   for   pruning 

trees,  and  intended  for  use  on  the 
end  of  a  long  pole.  This  is  obtain- 
able with  either  straight  or  curved 
tooth  edge  on  the  saw. 

Other  peculiar  forms  of  saws 
Fig.  22 — Buck  Saw  include  the  gauge  saw,  which  has 

an  adjustable  gauge,  making  it  particularly  adaptable  to  tenoning,  shoulder- 
ing, dovetailing,  curving,  cog-cutting,  or  any  purpose  where  a  definite  depth 
of  cut  is  required;  the  Movable  Back  Saw,  on  which  the  back  is  detach- 
able, making  it  convertible  for  use  either  as  a  back  saw  or  ordinary  hand- 
saw; and  the  Combination  Saw,  a  saw  that  is  equipped  for  use  not  only 
as  a  hand-saw,  but  also  with  the  following  tool  attachments:  square  and 
rule,  straight-edge,  scratch  awl,  plumb  and  level.  Where  these  tools  are 
wanted  in  a  compact  form,  nothing  equals  this  saw.  Then  there  is  the 
Flooring  Saw,  adapted  by  reason  of  its  extreme  round  breast,  on  tooth 
edge,  to  cutting  through  floors  without  the  use  of  chisel  or  auger. 

The  next  type  of  reciprocating  saw  is  the  "tension"  type.  Tension  saws 
are  those  which  have  a  narrow,  thin  blade  strained  in  a  frame  of  wood  or 
metal.  The  oldest  and  most  generally  known  form  of  this  kind  of  saw  is 
the  Buck  or  Wood  Saw. 

The  origin  of  the  Buck  Saw,  if  we  are  to  believe  the  drawing  upon  that 
ancient  tomb  previously  described,  goes  back  into  the  very  beginning  of 
history.  It  is  claimed  by  students  of  antiquity  that  frame  saws  were  com- 
mon in  Egypt  many  centuries  prior  to 
the  executing  of  the  drawing  at  Hercu- 
laneum.  There  is  no  doubt  that  it  is 
one  of  the  oldest  forms  of  saws.  Its 
usefulness  has  been  proved  by  many 
generations,  as  can  be  testified  to .  by 
thousands  of  farmer  boys,  and  though 
its  place  is  being  taken,  to  an  increas- 
ing  extent,  on  the  farm  of  to-day,  by 

the  small  circular  saw,  there  are  still  Web  Saw 

great  numbers  of  Buck  Saws  sold  and  used. 

23 


Blade  in  This  Frame  Can  be  Turned  at 
Right  Angles  to  Frame 


Fig.  22  shows  an  excellent  type  of  this  saw  in  its  modern  form.  Com- 
pare it  with  the  ancient  saw  in  Fig.  5,  page  6. 

An  interesting  saw  that  comes  under  this  head  is  the  Web  Saw.  In 
Germany  this  saw  is  used  almost  entirely  as  a  general  hand-saw.  In  fact, 
both  German  and  French  carpenters  are  very  partial  to  this  type  of  saw, 
and  many  continue  to  use  it,  after  coming  to  America,  in  preference  to 
the  usual  type  of  hand-saw. 

Another  saw  widely  used  and  practically  indispensable  for  metal  cutting 
is  the  Hack  Saw.  The  demand 
for  saws  for  cutting  metal  has 
been  constantly  increasing 
from  year  to  year  owing  to  the 
great  variety  of  purposes  for 
which  iron,  steel  and  other 
metals  are  being  adopted. 

Some  years  back  the  work- 
ing of  metal  to  size  was  done 
by    what    may    now    be    con- 
sidered a  very  crude,  laborious 
and  expensive  method.     It  was 
usually    done    in    a   blacksmith 
shop,    the    smaller    work    being 
forged     to    shape,     the    larger 
sheared  off  and  dressed  up  with 
a  file,  while  in  such  cases  where 
joints  or  mitres  were  desired  on 
beams,     etc.,     the     work     was 
sheared  to  length,  the  required 
angles    then    cut    on    a    shaper    or 
planer.      This    method    afterward 
gave  way  to  the  adoption  of  shears, 
but  this  did  not  make  an  accurate 
angle  and  necessitated  dressing  off. 
All    of    these    methods    consumed 
considerable  time. 

The  use  of  Hand  Hack  Saws  and 
Circular  saws  for  cutting  metal  has 
rendered  possible  to  the  greatest 
extent  the  employment  of  metals  in 
the  trades,  as  modern  appliances 
for  shaping  and  cutting  with  this  class  of  tool  have  reduced  to  a  nominal 
figure  the  hitherto  prohibitive  cost;  the  work  being  done  with  greater  ease, 
more  accurately,  and  in  much  less  time. 

Hack  Saw  blades,  ordinarily,  are  narrow  in  width,  and  from  6  to  16 
inches  in  length;  some  are  hardened  throughout,  and  others  on  tooth-edge 
only,  leaving  the  back  soft. 

Like  other  modern  forms  of  saws,  the  actual  beginning  of  the  Hack  Saw 
does  not  seem  to  have  been  recorded.  There  is  a  tradition  that  the  first  one 
was  made  in  Ireland,  but  as  the  Irish  have  not  been  noted  for  mechanical 
productions  of  this  kind,  the  rumor  very  probably  started  with  some  enthu- 
siastic son  of  the  Emerald  Isle.  Old  catalogs  show  that  in  England  com- 
plete Hack  Saws  were  made  in  1770,  and  as  the  industry  was  then  well 
established  it  seems  impossible  to  locate  the  exact  origin  of  the  Hack  Saw. 
Its  later  history,  though  more  complete,  naturally  lacks  the  romance  that 
is  attached  to  the  beginning  and  early  life-story  of  any  product.  It  is 
certain,  however,  that  the  early  blades  were  imported  into  the  United 
States  before  they  were  made  here.  These  imported  blades  were  polished 
similar  to  butcher  saw  blades  and  intended  to  be  resharpened  as  required: 
though  it  is  stated  that  the  old  English  Hack  Saw  Blade  was  extremely 

24 


Rail  Hack  Saw 


Pork  Packer's  Saw 


Saw  Knife 


thick,  having  coarse  teeth,  very  little  set,  and  was  slow-cutting  and  heavy 
to  work. 

Over  fifty  years  ago  Henry  Disston  was  making  the  hollow  or  concave 
ground  Hack  Saw  Blade,  and  even  today,  for  particular  work,  where  ac- 
curacy is  desired,  they  are  still 
used  and  recommended.  They  are 
made  of  high  quality  crucible  steel, 
especially  suitable  for  hack  saws, 
and  have  milled  teeth;  the  blade 
is  hollow-ground  to  run  without 
set,  and  tempered  so  it  may  be 
refiled.  This  is  the  highest  type 
of  Hack  Saw  Blade. 

It  was  about  the  early  eighties 
that  the  first  Hack  Saw  blades, 
somewhat  similar  to  those  of  today, 
were  made.  These  were  produced  at 
a  comparatively  low  price,  and  were 
so  hard  they  could  not  be  refiled; 
it  being  cheaper,  in  fact,  for  the 
mechanic  to  throw  away  the  dull 
blade  than  to  spend  his  time  in 
resharpening,  even  if  possible. 

Extra    narrow,    Hack    Saw 
Blades,    £    inch    wide,    varying    in 
thickness  and  number  of  points  to  the 
inch,  also  are  made  especially  for  the 
use  of  lock-makers  and  jewelers. 

Metal  saws  are  also  made  in  the 
form  of  the  regular  carpenter's  hand- 
saw, and  in  the  shape  of  Back  or 
Tenon  saws.  These  are  of  a  special 
steel  and  temper,  ground  thin  toward  the  back  and  may  be  resharpened 
with  a  good  file.  Tenon  saws  of  this  class  are  principally  used  in  mitre- 
boxes  for  the  manufacture  of  show  cases,  etc.,  while  the  hand  metal  saws 
are  for  purposes  where  a  framed  Hack  Saw  cannot  conveniently  be  used. 
Large  saws,  in  the  form  of  long  hand-saws,  are  also  made  for  cutting 
metal,  and  may  be  operated  by  two  men  in  the  same  manner  as  a  cross-cut 
saw;  the  handle  for  small  end  of  saw,  being  adjustable,  can  be  attached  or 
detached  at  will.  These  are  principally  used  in  foundries  for  sawing  "gates" 
and  other  parts  from  large  castings. 

In  use,  the  Hack  Saw  Blade  is  strained  in  a  frame.  There  are  many 
different  forms  of  frames;  some  having  a  solid  steel  back,  and  others  ex- 
tension backs,  taking  in  blades  of  different  lengths.  Some  are  so  con- 
structed that  the  blade  can  be  turned  at  right  angle  to  the  frame.  Another 
style  is  termed  the  Rail  Hack  Saw.  This  has  a  frame  varying  from  9  to 
18  inches  from  tooth  edge  of  blade  to  inside  of  back,  and  is  used  in  con- 
struction work  for  cutting  steel  rails  and  beams. 

The  first  Hack  Saw,  or  metal-cutting  blades  for  power  machines,  were 
manufactured  in  the  Disston  plant  at  least  a  quarter  of  a  century  ago. 
They  were  made  especially  for  building  the  City  Hall  tower,  Philadelphia, 
and  the  Congressional  Library,  Washington,  D.  C.  Their  usefulness  was 
immediately  apparent,  and  the  demand  spread  rapidly.  Today  the  frame 
Hack  Saw  and  Machine  Saw,  for  cutting  all  sizes  and  kinds  of  metal,  have 
almost  entirely  supplanted  the  old  method  of  nicking  and  breaking,  or 
cutting  off  in  a  lathe. 

Circular  and  Band  Saws  are  also  extensively  used  for  cutting  metal. 
These  will  be  described  later,  however,  under  the  heading  of  Continuous 
Action  Saws. 


Kitchen  Saw 


nm  H  Ti  v 


Closely  allied  in  form  to  the  Hack  Saw  is  the  Butcher  Saw.  The 
Butcher  Saw,  though  chiefly  used  for  bone-cutting,  as  its  name  would 
imply,  actually  derived  the  name  from  its  originator,  R.  G.  Butcher,  a  Dub- 
lin surgeon.  This  saw  is  quite  similar  to  the  Hack  Saw,  but  on  a  larger 
scale,  and  it  may  have  been  the  invention  of  it  by  Dr.  Butcher,  before  Hack 

Saws  came  into 
use,  which  led 
to  the  rumor 
that  Hack  Saws 
( intended  only 
for  metal  cut- 
ting) were  in- 
vented in  Ire- 
land. 

The  difference 
between  these 
two  saws  is 
really  very 
slight.  Owing 
to  the  softer 

Beef  Splitter  natu/e     .°f  .  the 

material      a 

Butcher  Saw  is  required  to  cut,  it  is  not  necessarv  to  have  as  high  a 
temper  in  the  blade  as  the  hack-saw.  The  blade  of  the  Hack  Saw,  on  the 
other  hand,  is  made  very  hard.  The  frame  of  the  Butcher  Saw  is  longer 

also,  and  the 
distance  between 
the  blade  and 
the  back  is 
greater. 

Quite    similar 
to    the    Butcher 
"]     Saw     is     the     Beef 
Splitter.      This    has 

:     a     handle     at     each 

end,  and  is  operated 
by  two  men  to  split 
-i  the  beef  carcass  before  cut- 
J  ting  up. 

The    Kitchen    Saw    is 
an  adaptation  of  the  Butch- 

r ,          er  Saw,  which  it  resembles 

"j    on     a     small     scale,     for    the 
home.      It    is    probably    used 

Whip  Saw  most    in    country    homes,    but 

a  saw  of  such  general  con- 
venience is  bound  to  increase 
in  popularity. 

Another  variation  of  the 
Drag  Saw  Butcher  Saw  is  found  in  the 

__ .._^__  Pork     Packer's     Saw.       This 

^-i^,?  saw  is  slightly  smaller  in  size,  and 

Swsw*  tapers  toward  the  end.     Its  name 

amply  explains  its  use,  as  it  is 
employed  by  pork  butchers  for  cut- 
ting up  pork. 

^^i,.4v  A  peculiar  form  of  this  type 

•%^5*  i     of  saw  is  found  in  the  De-horning 

Saw.     This  saw  has  a  blade  only 
Deal  Saw  ®l/2  inches  long  and  *4  inch  wide. 


Mulav  Saw 


)    i  -I    )    i    f    )    '! 

Mill  Saw 


Futtock  Saw 


Gang  Saw 


L 


It  is  used  by  farmers  and  stockmen  to  remove,  or  shorten,  the  horns  on 
cattle. 

A  tool  that  is  classed  with  these  bone-  and  meat-cutting  saws,  and  yet 
is  more  than  a  saw,  is  the  Saw-knife.  This  is  a  knife  with  double- cutting 
edge,  coming  to  a  point  at  the  end.  One  edge,  however,  is  toothed  for  saw- 
ing, while  the  other  is  used  for  ordinary  cutting. 

A  variation  of  the  Saw-knife  is  the  Subcutaneous  Saw  for  surgical  use. 
This  saw  has  a  pistol -grip  handle  in  which  is  inserted  a  round  steel  shaft. 
Near  the  outer  end  the  shaft  is  flattened — the  upper  part  having  a  knife 
edge;  the  lower,  saw-teeth. 

Before  dismissing  the  narrow-blade  type  of  saw,  we  must  refer  briefly 
to  Fret,  Scroll  and  Jig  Saws,  which  are  highly  useful  in  the  ornamental 
woodworking  industry.  The  Fret  Saw,  in  fact,  has  been  referred  to  as  the 
forerunner  of  the  Hack  Saw. 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  Fret,  Scroll  and  Jig  saws  are  very  similar,  and  are 
used  for  practically  the  same  purpose.     The  Fret  Saw  blade  is  extremely 
narrow,  and  made  from  3^-inch  wide  up.     The  narrowest  blades  while  hav- 
ing teeth,  appear  to  be  merely  a  wire.    The  Fret  Saw  is  used  almost  always 
by  hand.     It  is  delicate  in  construction,  and  is  employed  only  on  the  finer 
kinds  of  work.    The  Scroll  Saw,  the  blades  of  which  are  somewhat  wider,  is 
used  on  heavier  work,  and  although  frequently  worked  by  hand  is  also  used 
in  a  machine  run  by  foot  or  other  power.     The  Jig  Saw,  though  often  con- 
____— ^     fused   with   the    Fret    and    Scroll    Saws,    is 
distinctly  a  machine  saw,  and  is  used  on  all 

_iv--"  heavy   work.      The   blade  on   a  Jig   Saw   is 

The  "Nib"  ground  thinner  toward  the  back. 

The  blades  of  all  these  saws  consist  of  a 

I*- ~"««*~  thin   ribbon   of   steel,  toothed   on   one  edge, 

and  for  use  by  hand  are  stretched  in  a  frame,  which  is  made  of  considerable 
depth  between  blade  and  back.  They  are  especially  adapted  to  sawing 
curved  outlines  and  cutting  out  interior  pieces. 

The  Jig  Saw  resembles  Fret  and  Scroll  Saws  mainly  in  the  purposes 
for  which  it  is  used.  It  is  a  sawing  machine  with  a  narrow,  vertical, 
reciprocating  saw  blade,  on  which  curved  and  irregular  lines  and  patterns 
in  open  work  are  cut.  It  is  especially  adapted  to  cutting  interior  portions 
which  necessitate  first  passing  the  saw  through  a  hole.  Jig  Saws,  with 
suitable  blades,  are  employed  in  both  wood  and  metal  work. 

A  species  of  Fret  Saw  is  the  Buhl  Saw.  The  name  of  this  saw  is 
derived  from  Andre  Buhl,  an  Italian.  He  was  celebrated  throughout 
France,  in  the  reign  of  Louis  XIV,  for  inlaid  work  in  wood.  The  saw, 
which  is  named  for  him,  has  a  very  deep  frame,  with  a  short  blade,  and  is 
specially  made  for  this  class  of  work. 

The  men  who  cut  the  great  ice  harvests  of  the  country  must  depend  as 
much  on  saws  as  do  the  lumbermen.  Saws  especially  adapted  to  the  cut- 
ting of  ice  are  made  in  two  forms.  One,  averaging  from  3  to  6  feet  in 
length,  is  used  with  a  Tiller  Handle,  which  has  a  double  grip,  and  is  prin- 
cipally employed  for  the  heavier  cutting  in  the  ice-field.  The  other  is  made 
in  the  form  of  a  hand-saw.  This  form  is  convenient  fov  one-man  use  when 
resawing  of  the  ice-cakes  is  required,  or  where  the  ice-field  is  but  a  small 
one.  These  Hand  Ice  Saws  are  also  used  by  manufacturers  of  artificial 
ice.  The  teeth  of  both  are  the  same — extra  large,  strong,  and  easy  cutting. 
Reference  to  illustrations  will  show  how  these  differ  from  ordinary  saw- 
teeth. 

Under  the  head  of  Reciprocating  Saws  come  also  the  Mulay  (or 
Muley),  the  Mill  and  the  Gang  Saw — all  of  which  are  familiar  to  millmen. 
These  saws,  while  better  made  to-day  in  every  particular,  are  simply  the 
outgrowth  of  the  early  types  used  in  the  first  power  mills.  We  illustrate 
all  three  here,  and  a  comparison  will  show  that  they  differ  more  in  the 
purposes  for  which  they  are  used  than  in  appearance. 

The  Mill  Saw  represents  the  earliest  type  of  reciprocating  saw,  and  one 


is  run  in  a  frame;  although  occasionally  two  have  been  run  together,  but 
that  is  the  exception.  Gang  Saws  are  used  in  sets  of  two  machines,  one  for 
slabbing,  the  other  for  finishing  the  logs.  In  the  slabber  about  six  saws 
are  run  together  in  a  frame,  three  on  each  side  of  the  log,  and  the  flat 
gang  contains  from  twenty  to  forty  saws  —  according  to  the  size  of  the 
timber.  A  number  of  saws  thus  acting  together  save  a  vast  amount  of 
time  and  labor.  Of  course,  they  do  not  equal  in  efficiency  the  Band  or 
Circular  Saw,  but  are  still  used  extensively  —  especially  on  tough  timber. 
The  Gang  Saw  is  shorter  and  lighter  in  thickness  than  the  Mill  and  Mulay 
saws. 

The  Mulay  Saw  is  an  upright  mill-saw,  slightly  wider;  but  not  being 
strained  in  a  frame,  is  capable  of  quicker  reciprocating  action.  The  shape 
of  the  teeth  is  about  the  same  in  all  these  saws,  though  the  spacing  in  the 
Gang  Saws  is  finer  than  the  Mill  or  Mulay. 

There  are  several  other  saws  of  special  form  for  wood-cutting  that, 
though  not  widely  used,  cannot  be  overlooked  in  a  history  of  the  saw.  These 
include  the  Futtock  Saw,  the  blade  of  which  is  held  in  a  frame,  and  is  used 
by  hand;  the  Deal  Saw,  which  is  used  as  a  Gang  Saw,  but  is  smaller  in 
length  than  the  usual  Gang;  the  Whip  Saw,  similar  to  the  Pit  Saw,  but 
narrower  in  width,  used  by  shipbuilders  for  cutting  shapes,  etc.  ;  and  the 
Drag  Saw,  a  saw  which  is  used  horizontally,  one  end  being  attached  to  a 
rod,  or  pitman,  and  the  end  of  the  rod  in  turn  attached  to  the  side  of  a 
wheel  near  the  rim.  The  rotating  of  the  wheel  operates  the  rod  like  a 
piston  and  so  works  the  saw  with  a  reciprocating  motion.  It  is  usually 
used  to  cut  logs  into  various  lengths  as  may  be  desired.  Drag  Saws  are 
made  in  two  forms;  that  is,  parallel  in  width  and  tapering.  The  tapering 
type,  lighter  in  gauge  or  thickness,  is  used  in  a  machine,  principally  for 
cutting  cord  wood.  There  is  also  a  Portable  Drag  Saw  Machine  for  cutting 
down  trees  as  well  as  cutting  the  logs  to  mill  lengths. 

A  combination  of  the  Long  Saw  and  the  Hand  Saw  is  found  in  the 
One-man  Cross-cut  Saw.  The  Teeth  in  this  saw  are  of  regular  cross-cut 
saw  design,  but  the  blade  is  shorter  in  length,  making  it  adaptable  for  easy 
use  by  one  man.  — 

Though  the  Egyptians  are  supposed  to  have  cut  stone  with  saws,  there 
is  no  authentic  record  earlier  than  that  of  the  building  of  the  palace  of 
Mausolus  —  ^already  referred  to  —  about  350  B.  C.  There  is  no  question,  how- 
ever, that  it  is  a  very  ancient  art.  Since  those  early  days  the  sawing  of 
stone  has 
rapidly  pro- 

gressed, until    *.  -----  rr-         -  ^^.^ 

to-day  the  in-  f  ^-ssSer* 

dustry    is     a  I 

^  ^vVvVWv  YvVv  WV 

Hand  Ice  Sa 
exists   in   a  number  of  forms. 


Stone-saw  — 
or  saw  for 
cutting  ston 


The  circular  type  will  be 

taken  up  later,  as  we  are  now  considering  only  saws  of  reciprocating  action. 
The  ordinary  Stone-saw  is  fashioned  very  much  after  the  pattern  of  a 


Pond  Ice  Saw 

28 


One-man  Cross-cut  Saw 

Buck  Saw.  The  blade,  however,  is  toothless,  and  made  of  mild  steel  about 
I  inch  in  thickness.  In  use,  various  abrasive  materials,  such  as  sand,  shot, 
etc.,  are  fed  in  to  do  the  cutting  under  the  pressure  and  friction  of  this 
blade. 

While  it  may  seem  an  anomaly  to  saw  without  teeth,  since  even  pre- 
historic man  endeavored  to  cut  teeth  in  his  rude  saw,  it  is  not  a  new  idea 
or  discovery.  The  early  American  Indian  sawed  by  friction,  through  the 
use  of  sand,  or  a  thin  piece  of  material  harder  than  that  being  cut.  Among 
the  ancient  Mexicans  and  other  early  tribes  stones  were  sawed,  shaped, 
polished,  carved  and  perforated  entirely  by  friction.  It  is  only  another 
case  of  the  modern  saw  being  the  outcome  of  some  ancient  form. 

There  are  machine  saws  for  cutting  stone  similar  to  mill  Gang  Saws — 
that  is,  several  blades  strained  in  a  frame — with  the  exception  that  the  teeth 
are  absent,  and  the  saws  operate  in  a  horizontal  position.  Sawing,  of 
course,  is  only  one  of  many  ways  in  which  the  modern  artisan  cuts  stone, 
but  with  these  other  methods  we  are  not  now  concerned.  Stone  saws  of  the 
reciprocating  type  are  also  made  with  inserted  teeth,  in  each  of  which  a 
black  diamond  is  embedded  to  do  the  cutting. 

In  addition  to  the  Chain  Saw,  and  the  Subcutaneous  Saw  already 
referred  to,  the  surgeon  requires  many  saws  for  his  special  work.  Nickel- 
plated  surgical  saws,  extremely  small  in  size,  are  used  in  operations  on  the 
nose  and  other  parts  of  the  body.  Some  of  these  are  made  like  Back  Saws; 
others  half-moon  in  shape,  and  still  others  in  a  large  variety  of  shapes, 
according  to  the  uses  to  which  they  are  put.  All  have  exceptionally  slender 
blades — some  short  and  others  long. 

To  what  extent  the  usefulness  of  the  reciprocating  form  of  saw  has 
grown  is  illustrated  by  the  adaptation  of  this  indispensable  tool  to  scientific 
investigation. 

It  has  long  been  a  problem  why  some  varieties  of  grain  and  plants 
resist  the  attacks  of  insects  and  various  plant  diseases  better  than  others. 
This  has  recently  been  solved  by  Dr.  F.  Stranak,  of  the  Bohemian  Technical 
High  School  of  Prague,  through  the  use  of  a  tiny,  specially  constructed  saw. 
The  little  saw  is  mounted  upon  an  arm  on  a  delicate  machine  made  for  the 
purpose.  By  the  assistance  of  a  system  of  weights  the  exact  resistance  to 
the  action  of  the  saw  can  be  determined. 

This  tiny  saw,  which  measures  only  one-tenth  of  a  millimeter  in  width, 
has  been  arranged  to  cut  the  skin  of  a  grain  or  of  a  plant  stalk  much  as  the 
jaws  of  an  insect  would  do.  It  has  demonstrated  that  a  plant's  resistance 
to  insects  and  disease  depends  entirely  upon  the  hardness  of  the  protecting 
skin. 

As  a  matter  of  interest,  it  may  be  stated  that  while  there  is  a  general 
understanding  in  the  hardware  trade  that  Hand  Saws  are  26  inches  long, 
and  Rip  Saws  28  inches  or  longer,  this  is  not  carried  out  by  fact.  There 
are  a  great  many  Rip  Saws  made  in  shorter  lengths,  such  as  22-  and  24-inch, 
for  the  term  "Rip"  applies  to  shape  and  style  of  tooth  only,  and  not  to  the 
length  of  the  saw.  Likewise,  the  Cross-Cut,  or  C'utting-off  saws  may  be 
made  in  any  length  desired. 

The  graduation  of  the  teeth  in  Rip  Saws  is  for  the  purpose  of  enabling 

29 


the  user  to  start  the  saw  in  the  work  more  easily  by  commencing  the  cut 
with  the  end,  or  point,  of  blade,  where  the  teeth  are  somewhat  finer  than 
those  at  the  butt. 


Rip  Teeth,   %"  Pitch 


Cross-cut  Teeth,    14"  Pitch 


The  illustrations  show  the  method  of  laying-out  Rip  Saw  Teeth  and 
Cross-cut  Saw  Teeth.  The  angles  for  the  teeth  remain  the  same  as  in  these 
sketches  for  all  sizes  of  teeth.  It  will  be  noted  that  the  Rip  Saw  Tooth  is 
made  with  a  straight  front,  while  the  front  of  the  Cross-cut  Saw  Tooth  is 
given  a  slight  pitch,  or  rake. 

Another  thing  not  generally  understood  in  saws  is  the  relation  of  teeth 
and  "points."  On  examining  a  saw  it  will  be  noticed  that  in  one  inch  space 
there  is  one  tooth  less  than  there  are  "points."  Saws  are  always  ordered 
by  the  number  of  "points"  to  the  inch. 

Rip  Saw  Teeth  are  graduated  from  butt  to  point  of  blade,  the  narrow 
end  being  one  "point"  to  the  inch  finer  than  at  the  butt.  The  "points"  are, 
therefore,  measured  at  butt  of  blade. 

The  question  has  often  been  asked :  "Of  what  use  is  the  'Nib'  near  the 
end  of  a  hand-saw?"  It  is  of  no  practical  use;  merely  serving  to  break  the 
straight  line  of  the  back  of  'the  blade  and  is  an  ornamentation  only. 

Only  the  oldest  forms  of  saws  have  so  far  been  described — the  recipro- 
cating types  or  those  principally  used  by  hand  to  cut  on  the  thrust  or  pull. 
We  now  come  to  that  class  which  revolutionized  the  dividing  or  sawing  of 
large  timber  into  boards,  planks  or  heavy  lumber — continuous  action  saws, 
both  circular  and  band. 

Those  who  have  followed  this  story  from  the  beginning  will  readily 
conceive  the  saving  of  time  and  labor  effected  by  continuous  action  saws  as 
against  the  reciprocating  type.  Moreover,  the  former  not  only  lessens  the 
cost  of  making  lumber,  thus  increasing  its  general  use  and  advancing  the 
industry,  but  enables  the  production  of  more  lumber  from  the  log  by  reason 

of  greater  economy  in  sawing — a 
thinner  kerf  reducing  the  waste  in  the 
shape  of  sawdust. 

It  is  reasonable  to  say  that  owing 
to  the  demand,  lumber  to-day  would 
be  held  at  a  price  prohibitive  to  the 
general  public  were  it  not  for  the 
great  improvement  in  the  methods  of 
its  manufacture. 

The  principal  types  of  continuous 
action  saws  are  the  Circular,  a  rotat- 
ing disc;  the  Cylindrical,  or  barrel 
shaped;  and  the  Band  Saw,  which 
is  a  continuous  ribbon  of  steel  running 
on  two  wheels. 

The  solid  tooth  Circular  Saw  is 
the  first  form  of  continuous  action 

Circular  Mitre  Saw  *****    and    even    to-day    is    used   to    a 


30 


Gullot  Tooth  Circular  Saw 


greater  extent  than  others  owing  to  the  variety  of  its  work,  though  as  time 
progressed  the  solid  tooth  gave  way,  in  a  measure,  to  the  inserted  (or  re- 
movable) tooth  for  some  kinds  of  sawing,  which  will  be  described  later. 

To  quote  from  "Grim- 
shaw  on  Saws"  : 

"During  all  the  cen 
turies  which  witnessed  the 
birth  and  rise,  the  haughty 
supremacy  and  the  fall  of 
nations  in  successive  turns, 
no  important  change  was 
made  for  the  better  in 
the  manufacture  of  saws, 
until,  in  1790,  a  device  was 
brought  out  by  Brunei,  by 
which  cutting  should  be 
continuous.  In  other  words, 
the  application  of  the  ro- 
tary principle  to  power- 
driven  saws  was  then 
given  practically  to  the 
world.  While  the  circular 
saw  was  first  practically 
used  in  Holland,  its  de- 
velopment is  due  to  Eng- 
land and  America  —  espe- 
cially  the  latter. 

"The  Circular  or  'Buzz'  Saw,  not  having  inertia  to  overcome  in  revolv- 
ing, has  a  higher  cutting  speed  of  teeth  than  the  reciprocating,  besides  the 
advantage  of  continuous  cutting." 

The  early  type  of  Circular  Saw  can  hardly  be  compared  with  those  of 
to-day,  so  great  has  been  the  advance  in  manufacture.  Picture  to  yourself 
the  old  style  saw,  a  crude,  round  sheet  of  metal  hammered  flat  on  the  anvil, 
and  with  roughly  punched-out  teeth.  Then  examine  the  efficient  saw  of 
to-day,  made  of  a  high  grade  Crucible  Steel  peculiarly  adapted  to  withstand 
the  severe  strains  to  which  Circular  Saws  are  subjected,  ground  on  auto- 
matic machinery,  making  the  saws  perfectly  uniform  in  thickness  through- 
out, or  giving  the  blade  an  accurate  taper  from  thick  on  the  tooth-edge  to 
thin  near  center,  or  the  reverse.  Then,  again,  this  machine  may  be  ad- 
justed to  grind  the  saw  perfectly  flat  on  one  side  and  tapered  on  Ihe  other. 
This  automatic  method  of  grinding  fully  insures  that  true  and  perfect 
balance  which  is  also  an  absolute  requisite  in  a  saw  for  straight  cutting 
when  running  at  a  high  rate  of  speed. 

It  has  not  been  so  many  years  since  Circular  Saws 
were  run  at  only  one-third  the  speed  they  are  to-day.  It 
was,  indeed,  rough  lumber  they  made  in  those  days.  .The 
feeding  of  the  log  to  the  saw  was  done  by  the  crude  "jab," 
rack  and  pinion  feed,  while  now  stream  is  used  in  what  is 
termed  "shotgun  feed"  and  "twin  engine  feed"  —  produc- 
ing thousands  of  feet  of  well-cut,  smooth  lumber  in  less 
time  than  it  took  the  old  saw-mill  to  cut  a  few  feet. 

The  question  of  high  rate  of  speed  brings  up  an  impor- 
tant feature  not  known  in  the  early  days,  and  that  is  "ten- 
sioning"  for  the  speed  at  which  the  saw  is  to  run.  The 
earlier  saws  were  made  flat  and  very  heavy  or  thick 
throughout,  many  of  them  being  as  heavy  as  No.  3  or  4  gauge,  and 
being  run  at  a  comparatively  low  rate  of  speed,  were  not  affected  by 
centrifugal  force.  Consequently  they  were  hammered  flat,  or  without  "ten- 
sion." Whereas,  the  circular  saw  of  to-day  not  only  is  made  much  thinner 

31 


Special 
Grooving  Saw 


(large  saws  as  thin  as  9  and  10  gauge  being  nothing  unusual) ,  but  is  run  at 
a  much  higher  rate  of  speed,  the  present  recognized  standard  being  10,000 
feet  rim  travel,  where  formerly  4000  feet  per  minute  was  considered  high. 
But  many  saws  are  run  as  high  as  15,000  feet  per  minute,  but  with  greatly 
increased  risk  to  saw  and  equipment.  Therefore,  it  is  so  hammered  or  ten- 
sioned  that  the  center  is  left  sufficiently  "open"  to  offset  centrifugal  force 
when  the  saw  is  revolved  up  to  high  speed,  thus  keeping  the  edge  strained 
on  a  true  line,  otherwise  the  saw  would  not  run  smoothly  or  cut  straight. 

Another  great  improvement  is  in  the  tooth.  Instead  of  the  ordinary 
V-shaped  tooth,  there  are  hundreds  of  patterns  or  special  shapes  for  ripping, 
special  styles  for  cross-cutting — each  made  on  scientific  lines  to  give  the 
necessary  "pitch,"  .and  lead  into  the  cut,  as  well  as  ample  throat  room  for 


>E|    Df    Flat  or  Coun- 

«•••      tersunk  Side  

Segmented  Veneering  Saw  Veneering  in  Egypt,  1490,  B.  C. 

carrying  out  the  saw-dust  to  prevent  choking;  special  sizes  or  number  of 
teeth  according  to  the  class  or  character  of  the  wood  to  be  sawn,  and  also 
the  amount  of  feed  used. 

And  further,  note  in  the  larger  teeth  how  ample  backing  is  given  each 
tooth  for  the  reason  that  in  taking  a  heavier  "bite"  more  strength  is  re- 
quired. 

An  idea  originated  and  patented  some  years  ago  by  Henry  Disston,  and 
one  which  lengthens  the  life  of  the  saw,  is  the  gullett  tooth.  This,  when 
required,  being  gummed  or  chambered  on  spiral  lines  by  a  light  handworking 
machine,  styled  a  Gummer,  causes  considerable  saving  of  the  saw-plate,  for 
in  gumming,  the  steel  is  cut  down  chiefly  in  the  throat  of  the  tooth  in  a  di- 
rection around  the  blade  instead 
of  down  and  directly  toward  the 
center,  as  is  the  case  in  ordinary 
methods. 

These  advances,  made  from 
time  to  time,  are  the  result  of 
scientific  research  and  experiment, 
looking  to  the  accomplishment  of 
the  greatest  results  in  the  shortest 
time,  at  minimum  power  consump- 
tion and  expense,  and  last,  but  not 
least,  the  economical  sawing  of  the 

W</    --*/     /f  s*? -i     timber- 
C/  N,s,  As    stated    before,    the    solid 

tooth  types  of  the  Circular  Saw  are 
the  ones  most  commonly  used,  for 
the  reason  that  they  are  applied  to 

,s?tf      --^         iili[|JJ/4  A    A         the  greatest  variety  of  work.  These 

\  i.i        ^^^       can  be  divided  into  two  principal 

tjj/  classes — those     intended     for     the 

sawing  of  wood,  and  those  adapted 

to  metal   cutting.      In   both   these 

Fi£-  23  classes  the  range  of  sizes  is  great; 

the  wood-cutting  saws  varying  from  1  inch  in  diameter  to  the  imposing 
Circular  Saw  84  inches  and  larger  for  the  sawing  of  big  timber.  The  solid 
tooth  Circular  Saws  for  cutting  metal,  while  not  running  in  such  large 
sizes  (5  feet  being  usually  the  maximum  diameter,  and  from  that  down  to 

32 


WWW 


Circular  Cross-Cut  Saw 


If  inches),  are  notable  for  the  character  of  work  they  perform,  a  feature 
which  will  be  taken  up  further  on  in  this  history. 

Considering  first  the 
Circular  Saws  for  use  on 
wood,  we  will  describe,  in 
turn,  the  different  vari- 
eties, their  forms  and  uses. 
In  the  front  rank,  by 
reason  of  their  size  and 
more  general  use,  are  the 
large  Gullet  Tooth  Saws 
used  in  cutting  logs  into 
lumber,  the  important 
characteristics  of  which 
we  have  described  in  the 
forepart  of  this  article. 

Reference  to  Fig.  23 
will  show  some  of  the  gen- 
eral styles  of  teeth  with 
which  solid  tooth  Circular 
Saws  are  equipped.  Each 
one  of  these  is  adapted  to 
some  special  kind  of  work 
— ripping  or  cross-cutting, 
hard  or  soft  wood — being 
formed  to  produce  the 
best  and  greatest  results 
under  proper  conditions. 
Shingle  and  Heading  Saws,  which  come  in  diameters  of  30  to  60  inches, 
are  reinforced  on  the  side  away  from  the  block  from  which  the  shingles  are 
being  cut  with  a  flange  or  collar.  This  is  firmly  attached  to  the  saw  blade  by 
means  of  screws  which  are  countersunk  into  the  blade  on  the  block  side.  Such 
saws  are  used  in  shingle  machines  on  which  shingles  are  cut  from  the  log  or 
block.  Shingle  Saws  are  frequently  set  at  intervals  around  a  turn-table. 
Upon  the  table  as  many  as  twelve 
blocks  are  arranged,  and  as  the  table 
turns,  one  after  another  the  blocks 
strikes  the  saws  and  a  shingle  is 
snipped  off.  By  this  method  thou- 
sands upon  thousands  of  shingles  are 
cut  off  in  a  day. 

In  cutting  shingles  with  the 
Shingle  Saw  the  block  is  pushed 
against  the  saw  so  that  the  saw  be- 
gins to  cut  a  thick  slab  and  ends 
off  thin.  In  the  old  days,  when 
shingles  were  split  by  hand,  the 
work  was  tedious  and  slow.  After 
splitting,  they  used  to  shave  or  dress 
up  the  shingle  to  get  the  taper. 

To-day  the  shingles  are  cut  rapidly  and  in  large  quantities.  The  block, 
being  cut  automatically,  adjusts  itself  to  the  saw  and  the  machines  need 
little  attention  while  running. 

Of  somewhat  similar  nature,  in  the  fact  of  their  being  flanged  on  one  side, 
are  the  Veneering  Saws.  These  are  usually  made  in  segments,  ten  or  more  in 
number,  according  to  size  of  the  saw,  and  are  fastened  tightly  to  the  collar  or 
flange  by  countersunk  screws  as  in  the  case  of  the  Shingle  Saws.  The  seg- 
ments, when  new,  are  from  12  to  15  inches  deep,  usually  7  or  8  gauge  at  the 
heel,  and  taper  to  19  gauge  or  thinner  on  the  tooth  edge.  The  flat  side  of 


Shingle  Saw  and  Method  of  Attach- 
ing it  to  Flange 


the  saw  is  the  countersunk  side  and  the  bevel  of  the  segments  is  on  the 
other  side  of  the  saw.  As  the  veneer  is  only  |  inch  or  less  in  thickness,  it 
readily  springs  away  from  the  thick  part  of  the  flange,  thus  leaving  it  prac- 
tically without  friction,  which,  while  less  detrimental  to  the  operation  of 
segment  saws,  is  always  objectionable.  Veneers  are  necessarily  made  very 
thin,  consequently,  to  keep  the  wasted  material  at  the  lowest  point,  the  saws 
also  are  made  very  thin,  some  veneer  saws  tapering  to  24  gauge.  The  first 
circular  Veneering  Saw  to  run  by  power  was  that  invented  by  Isambard  M. 
Brunei  about  1805.  He  introduced  it  in  the  Chatham  (England)  dock  yards 
and  later  in  his  works  at  Battersea,  where  it  aroused  great  wonder  among 
visitors.  The  speed  of  two-thirds  of  a  mile  a  minute,  which  these  saws 
attained,  was  considered  marvelous  in  those  days. 

Previous  to  Brunei's  invention  of  the  Veneering  Saw,  veneers  were  cut 
by  hand  with  a  saw  similar  to  the  frame  pit  saw,  but  with  a  thinner  blade, 
one  of  the  sawyers  standing  in  the  pit  beneath  the  log.  Six  veneers  to  the 
inch  was  excellent  work  with  this  outfit.  Somewhat  thinner  work  was 
turned  out  by  cabinet  makers  who  used  a  hand-saw  and  got  seven  or  eight 
sheets  to  an  inch.  With  the  machinery  and  saws  of  to-day,  however,  at  least 
ten  sheets  to  the  inch  are  made  and  in  much  less  time. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  that  the  Egyptians,  whose  primitive  saws  we 
have  described,  practised  the  art  of  veneering  as  early  as  1490  B.  C.,  during 
the  reign  of  Thothmes  III,  who  is  believed  by  antiquarians  to  have  been  the 
Pharaoh  of  the  Exodus. 

In  the  illustration  on  page  32  is  seen  a  man  fitting  a  piece  of  red  wood 
to  a  piece  of  yellow  wood ;  at  least  so  the  original  depicts  it.  He  has  stuck 
his  adze  in  a  block  of  the  same  yellow  wood,  and  in  his  vicinity  are  shown 
his  toolchest  and  square.  A  man  is  engaged  in  grinding  something  on  a 
slab  and  another  is  spreading  what  is  thought  to  be  glue  on  a  board.  The 
glue  pot  is  shown  heating  on  the  fire. 

Circular  Mitre  Saws  are  a  smaller  type  of  the  thin-bladed  Circular  Saw, 
ranging  in  size  from  4  inches  to  2  feet  in  diameter.  These  have  a  special 
shaped  tooth,  are  taper  ground  for  clearance,  and  to  run  without  set. 

m  si  ^j  Such  saws  are  used  mainly  in 
f  {J  J/  cabinet  and  cigar-box  work 
where  a  smooth,  clean  cut  is  de- 
sired. A  variation  of  this  saw 
is  fitted  with  "cleaner"  teeth  at 
intervals  for  faster  cutting.  For 
ripping,  more  of  these  are  in- 
serted than  for  cross-cutting. 

Grooving  Saws,  as  the  name 
indicates,  are  designed  for  cut- 
ting grooves  of  various  widths 
and  depths.  Many  styles  of 
special  teeth  are  made  in  these 
saws  according  to  the  size  and 
shape  of  groove  desired.  These 
saws  are  usually  ground  thinner 
at  the  centre  than  at  the  edge 
and  require  little  or  no  set. 

It  was  formerly  the  general  practice  to  tongue  and 
groove  boards  on  a  machine  which  had  a  single  groover 
mounted  on  one  end  of  the  arbor,  and  three  Grooving 
Saws  set  close  together  on  the  other  end.  The  board 
was  passed  edgewise  over  the  single  groover,  to  cut  the 
channel,  then  turned,  and  passed  on  its  opposite  edge 
over  the  three  saws,  the  middle  one  of  which,  being  of 
smaller  diameter,  planed  the  edge  of  the  tongue.  This 
method  is  in  general  use  in  shops  and  small  mills,  but 

34 


***•      ' 


Dado  Head  or  Grooving  Saw 


Grooving  Saw 


where  large  quantities  of  tongue  and  groove  boards  are  made  in  stock  sizes 
the  work  is  done  with  matcher  bits.  A  peculiar  variation  of  the  Grooving 
Saw  is  the  Dado  Head  Saw,  which  consists  usually  of  two  outside  and 
three  inside  cutters.  This  style  saw  will  cut  from  &  inch  to  any  width 
desired  by  the  addition  of  one  or  more  inside 
cutters.  A  glance  at  the  illustration  will  show 
the  make-up  of  this  composite  Grooving  Saw. 

The  two  forms  of  Grooving  Saw  just  referred 
to  are  the  ones  in  common  use.  There  are  many 
solid  grooving  saws  used,  made  with  either 
straight  or  special  patterns  of  teeth  to  cut  grooves 
of  any  width,  depth  or  special  shape  on  bottom  or 
side.  An  accompanying  illustration  shows  a  special 
Grooving  Saw,  with  round  cutting-edge  on  the 
teeth,  which  produces  a  round  bottom  groove. 

It  will  be  noticed,  however,  that  with  the 
solid  types  of  grooving  saw  a  certain  thickness  of 
saw  must  be  had  to  correspond  with  width  of 
groove  to  be  cut.  A  number  of  different  size 
grooves  would  necessitate  a  corresponding  num- 
ber of  saws,  and  would  entail  considerable 
expense.  This  very  naturally  led  to  extensive  experimenting  to  obtain  a 
thin  blade  that  would  cut  a  groove  of  any  desired  width.  Several  expedi- 
ents were  resorted  to,  such  as  the  Wobble  Saw.  This  form,  now  obsolete, 
was  merely  a  thin  circular  saw  of  small  diameter  firmly  set  at  an  angle  on 
the  mandrel;  the  greater  the  angle,  the  greater  the  width  of  cut — the  kerf 
being  twice  as  wide  as  the  distance  that  the  top  of  the  saw  is  tilted  from 
the  perpendicular. 

Another  pattern  of  cutter-head  was  designed  some  years  ago,  working 
on  the  lines  of  the  Wobble  Saw.  It  was  formed  of  a  thin  steel  blade,  a 
part  of  each  side  being  pressed  out  of  alignment.  This  offset  form  enabled 
a  thin  blade  to  cut  a  wide  kerf  or  groove,  and  by  the  addition  of  one  or 
more  blades  the  width  of  groove  was  increased. 

This,  and  numerous  other  attempts  were  made  to  perfect  a  thin  blade 
cutter-head.  The  greatest  advance,  however,  was  made  by  the  invention 
of  the  Dado  Head,  or  Grooving  Saw,  pictured  on  page  34,  termed  the  Key- 
stone Groover.  It  reduces  the  number  of  saws  required,  being  adjustable  to 
cut  any  desired  width  of  groove  simply  by  the  addition  of  extra  inside 
cutters. 

As   previously   stated,   the  Keystone  Groover   consists  of  two   outside 

specially  toothed, 
small  circular 
saws,  or  cutters, 
varying  from  5 
to  18  inches  in 
diameter,  and 
three  narrow,  ob- 
long cutters, 
toothed  on  each 
end. 

For  cutting  the 
grooves     in     the 

ends  of  boards  to  be  used  in  making  lock-corner  boxes  special  cutters  are 
made,  called  Lock-corner  Cutters.  These  are  of  various  diameters  and 
thicknesses,  and  with  one,  two  or  three  teeth  in  each,  according  to  the  thin- 
ness of  stock  to  be  cut.  The  thinner  the  stock,  the  fewer  teeth  required, 
two  being  the  average.  The  number  of  spaces  and  the  width  of  the  board 
govern  the  number  of  saws  used  in  a  set. 

It  is  wonderful  to  contemplate  the  numerous  different  patterns  of  saws 

35 


Lock  Corner  Cutters 


employed  in  a  large  up-to-date  saw  mill,  and  the  variety  of  purposes  for 
which  they  are  used. 

In  addition  to  the  large  Circular  and  Band  Saws  used  for  cutting  up 
logs,  the  average  big  modern  mill  is  also  equipped  with  a  combination 
"Bull"  or  Rift  Gang  Edger,  regular  Edger,  Resaw  or  Siding  Saw,  Trimmers, 
Lath  Bolters,  Lath  Saws,  Circular  Cut-off  or  Butting  Saw,  and  Slashers. 
Each  of  these  performs  its  own  particular  work. 

The  "Bull,"  or  Rift  Gang  Edger,  is  used  for  sawing  3-inch  to  8-inch 
Cants  into  Rift  Boards,  or  Scantling.  While  similar  in  many  ways  to  the 
large  Gang  Edger,  this  machine  is  heavier  and  of  greater  capacity. 

The  regular  Edger  Saws  are  usually  12  to  28  inches  in  diameter,  and  12 
to  8  gauge — that  is,  &  and  &i  inch  thick  respectively.  Two  or  more  are 
mounted  on  the  same  mandrel.  The  boards  are  fed  through  the  machine 
by  geared  or  belted  feed  rolls.  The  purpose  of  the  Edger  Saw  is  to  cut 
off  the  bark  edges,  knots,  or  defects  in  the  boards,  and  rapidly  to  saw  them 
lengthwise  to  the  width  required.  At  the  same  time  the  boards  can  be  split 
into  pieces  of  different  grades,  which  is  accomplished  by  regulating  the 
distance  between  the  saws.  This  is  done  by  the  "edger  man,"  through  the 
medium  of  sliding  collars  on  the  edger  mandrel  in  connection  with  rack 
and  pinion  gears,  and  hand  wheels  at  the  front  of  the  machine.  It  requires 
quick  judgment,  owing  to  the  speed  of  the  machine. 

A  most  serviceable  saw  in  the  modern  mill  is  the  circular  Resawing  or 
Siding  Saw.  In  size  it  varies  between  16  and  38  inches  in  diameter,  and  is 
usually  very  thin — often  only  19  gauge,  or  about  &  inch  at  the  rim.  Boards 
and  thin  Cants,  or  Planks,  made  by  the  log  saw  are  run  through  the  Re- 
saws  and  are  manufactured  into  two  or  more  thin  boards  as  desired;  the 
thinness  of  the  blade  effecting  considerable  economy  of  lumber.  The 
"feed"  is  continuous,  consisting  usually  of  four  gear-driven  rolls,  which  not 
only  feed  the  stock  to  the  saw,  but  serve  as  a  guide  as  well. 

Trimmer  Saws  are  made  for  the  express  purpose  of  reducing  all  manu- 
factured stock  as  it  comes  from  the  saw-mill  proper  to  fixed  and  uniform 
lengths. 

There  are  various  forms  of  Trimmers.  Of  the  two  most  generally  used, 
one  consists  of  a  long  mandrel  with  a  saw  near  each  end;  the  saws  being 
mounted  on  sliding  collars  that  are  shifted  toward  or  from  the  center  of 
arbor  on  mandrel  to  cut  or  trim  the  ends  of  the  stock  squarely,  and  to  the 
length  desired.  The  shifting  of  the  saws  is  accomplished  by  means  of 
sprocket  wheels  and  chains,  controlled  by  the  operator  through  a  hand 
wheel  or  crank. 

Large  Trimmers  are  made  up  of  four,  six  and  sometimes  more  Jump 
Saws,  carried  by  a  frame,  and  driven  from  the  same  shaft.  Some  machines 
are  made  to  cut  from  under  the  table,  while  in  others  the  saws  are  hung 
above  the  table.  The  saws  are  in  gang  form,  are  set  2  feet  apart,  and  by 
means  of  a  series  of  either  hand  or  foot  levers,  or  by  pneumatic  tubes,  any 
two  or  more  of  the  Trimmer  Saws  can  instantly  be  brought  into  the  stock 
to  cut  any  desired  lengths. 

The  saws  for  these  machines  range  from  16  to  26  inches  in  diameter, 
and  are  usually  10  or  12  gauge  in  thickness.  The  boards,  or  stock,  in  both 
forms  of  Trimmers  are  carried  or  fed  across  the  saw  table  by  continuous 
running  sprocket  chains. 

Lath  Bolters  are  also  of  the  circular  saw  type,  usually  about  24  to  28 
inches  in  diameter,  and  often  used  in  gangs  of  two  or  more  saws.  They  are 
equipped  with  Rip  Teeth,  and,  as  the  name  implies,  are  used  to  rip  lath 
bolts  from  slabs  or  other  waste  lumber.  Lath  Saws,  too,  are  small  circular 
saws  used  in  gangs  of  two  or  more.  They  are  necessary  for  sawing  laths 
from  bolts  prepared  by  the  Bolting  Saws. 

Most  mills  also  have  a  Circular  Cut-off  or  Butting  Saw,  which  is  swung 
in  a  frame,  and  used  for  cutting  timber  to  length,  as  well  as  squaring  the 
ends.  In  other  words,  it  is  used  for  cutting  Scantling  and  timber  to 

36 


length,   the   same   as   the   regular   Trimmer  .is   used   for  trimming  boards. 
&Then  there  are  the  Slashers — Circular  Saws  used  in  a  gang,  and  aver- 
aging four  or  more  to  each  set.     These  are  for  cutting  slabs  or  edgings  into 
suitable  lengths  for  plastering  laths,  picket  or  firewood. 

There  is  also  the  Swing  Cut-off  Saw,  which  is  used  principally  in  box 
factories.  It  consists  of  a  Circular  Saw  ranging  in  size  from  12  to  20 
inches.  This  saw  is  hung  in  a  frame  that  is  hinged  to  the  overhead  shaft- 
ing. The  workman,  in  operating,  swings  the  saw  out  over  a  bench  upon 
which  the  work  is  supported.  rJhe  saw  p"?se«  tr rough  a  snecinl  groove  in 
the  bench  top.  After  the  sawing  is  completed,  the  weighted  frame  carries 
the  saw  back  out  of  the  way.  The  main  purpose  of  the  Swing  Saw  is  for 
cross-cutting  boards  to  various  lengths,  according  to  size  of  the  box  to 
be  made. 

In  Double,  or  "Top,"  saw-mills,  a  small  Circular  Saw  called  the  Top 
Saw  is  used  in  connection  with  a  large  Circular  Saw,  and  is  mounted  above 
and  slightly  behind  it.  Both  saws  are  run  at  the  same  speed  rim  motion, 
and  usually  in  the  same  direction.  Thus  the  teeth  of  the  two  saws  approach 
from  opposite  directions  and  throw  the  saw-dust  clear  without  fouling  each 
other.  The  chief  advantage  of  the  double  mill  is  that  logs  of  larger  diam- 
eter can  be  sawn.  On  the  other  hand,  the  capacity  of  a  single  Circular  Saw 
is  limited  to  logs  whose  diameter  is  slightly  less  than  half  that  of  the  saw. 
Then,  too,  thinner  saws  can  be  used  in  a  double  mill,  thus  bringing  about 
a  very  desirable  economy  of  kerf,  power  and  time.  Top  Saws  are  made  of 
any  diameter  desired,  ranging  from  24  to  40  inches,  and  are  the  same  gauge 
or  thickness  as  the  bottom  saw. 

Before  Band  Saws  were  being  used  to  the  extent  which  they  are  to-day, 
it  was  customary  to  use  double  saw-mills  in  districts  where  very  large  logs 
had  to  be  cut.  This  enabled  the  use  of  a  smaller  under  saw  for  general 
work.  When  a  large  log  was  to  be  cut  the  top  saw  did  its  share  of  the 
work. 

The  wide  use  of  the  band  saw,  however,  cutting,  as  it  does,  logs  of  any 
size,  has  made  the  use  of  a  double  saw-mill  unnecessary. 

Circular  Saws  in  various  sizes  are  put  to  many  curious  uses.  To  the 
average  person  it  will  be  a  strange  revelation  to  learn  of  the  many  varied 
materials  which  these  saws  are  employed  to  cut. 

Take  sugar,  for  instance.  At  one  time  gangs  of  small  Circular  Saws 
were  used  to  cut  the  large  slabs  of  crystallized  sugar  into  the  small  cubes 
that  are  familiar  on  every  table.  To-day,  however,  cube  or  "lump"  sugar 
is  cut  from  the  slabs  in  cutting  machines,  the  knives  of  which  cut  upward 
and  downward  at  the  same  time. 

In  addition  to  the  ordinary  sawing  of  wood,  metals,  stone  and  slate, 
Circular  Saws  of  the  solid  tooth  pattern  are  also  used  for  cutting  Bone, 
Leather,  Talc,  Asbestos,  Horn,  Magnesia  coverings,  Paper,  Cardboard, 
Fibre,  Rubber,  Tallow,  Fat,  Carbon,  Soapstone,  Mica,  Straw,  Amber,  Shell, 
Pearl,  Ivory,  Celluloid,  Coal,  Ice,  Camphor,  Raisins,  Cotton,  Cotton  Seed, 
Cake  Meal,  and  Peanuts.  Rock-salt  and  Hay  are  also  sawn. 

The  Circular  Saw  will  always  play  an  important  part  in  the  manu- 
facture of  Lumber,  particularly  where  the  timber  holding  is  limited  and 
the  timber  small.  The  modern  Band  Saw,  however,  through  its  ability  to 
handle  successfully  logs  of  a  wide  range  of  girth,  manufactures  the  lumber 
at  minimum  expense  of  kerf,  and  is  most  generally  selected  by  the  larger 
operators  who  have  extensive  timber  holdings. 

In  describing  the  modern  Circular  Saw,  we  have  so  far  dealt  only  with 
that  type  of  solid  tooth  Circular  Saw  which  cuts  a  straight  line.  There  is, 
however,  an  important  group  of  solid  tooth  Circular  Saws  which  are  con- 
structed to  cut  on  a  curved  line,  thus  giving  a  special  rounded  shape  to  the 
article  being  made.  This  class  of  saw  is  indispensable  in  the  cooperage 
business,  cutting  as  it  does  the  staves,  heads  and  bottoms  of  barrels  to 
proper  form. 

37 


They  are  made  in  two  principal  types — Concave  and  Cylinder. 

The  Concave  Saw,  as  its  name  implies,  is  dished  or  hollowed,  accord- 
ing to  the  diameter  of  the  circle  to  be  cut,  thus  enabling  the  saw  to  cut 
on  the  arc  of  a  circle.  The  work  is  usually  placed  upon  a  turn-table,  which. 
as  it  turns  around,  carries  the  stock  into  the  saw. 


Left-hand  Right-hand 

Concave  saws,  as  a  rule,  are  made  in  diameters  of  from  4  to  20  inches, 
and  of  16  to  12  gauge  in  thickness.  Various  other  sizes,  however,  are 
made  on  special  order.  Concave  Saws  are  made  either  right  or  left  hand. 
When  the  observer  is  standing  facing  the  saw  with  the  saw  running  toward 
him,  if  the  "dish"  is  to  the  right,  it  is  a  left-hand  saw;  if  to  the  left,  it  is 
a  right-hand  saw. 

In  cooperage  work,  the  Heading  Turner  has  a  Concave  Saw,  and  a 
smaller,  thicker,  flat  Circular  Saw,  mounted  on  the  same  mandrel.  The 
stock  from  which  the  barrel  heads  are  made,  usually  consisting  of  several 
pieces,  is  held  in  clamps  on  the  turn-table  and  rotated  obliquely  against 
the  saws.  The  Concave  Saw  cuts  it  round,  and  makes  the  long  bevel  at  the 
same  time.  The  small  flat  saw  cuts  the  short  bevel  which  completes  the 
edge  of  the  barrel  head,  making  it  of  proper  shape  to  fit  the  "chine,"  or 
V-groove  in  staves,  for  retaining  head.  In  the  manufacture  of  wheelwright 
material,  especially  in  cutting  felloes,  or  wheel  rims,  two  Concave  Saws 
are  mounted  on  one  mandrel.  In  this  case  the  stock  is  placed  upon  a  table 
which  swings  with  a  pendilum  motion.  The  stock  is  swung  a  quarter  turn, 
which  brings  it  into  the  saw — then  back,  and  in  for  another  cut.  In  this 
connection  it  may  be  well  to  state  that  there  are  two  kinds  of  felloes.  The 
first  is  composed  of  from  six  to  eight  segments,  sawn  to  shape.  The  second 
is  usually  made  of  two  pieces,  bent  to  shape.  The  operation  just  described, 
therefore,  is  used  only  in  cutting  small  sectioned  felloes.  As  the  saws  are 
spaced  the  desired  distance  apart,  the  felloe  is  cut  betweeen  them  of  a  cor- 
responding thickness. 

Concave  Saws  are  employed  in  the  manufacture  of  chair  parts,  for 
cutting  the  heads  for  barrels,  kegs  and  bottoms  for  baskets.  In  fact, 

38 


anything  to  be  cut  in  rounded  or  curved  form.  This  kind  of  work  was 
done  entirely  by  hand,  or  on  Jig  Saws,  before  the  invention  of  the  Con- 
cave Saw. 

In  many  industries  Band  Saws  have  replaced  this  kind  of  saw  to  a 
great  extent,  better  work  being  done  with  them.  Certain  classes  of  work, 
however,  such  as  barrel  heads,  can  only  be  made  with  the  Concave  Saw. 
As  a  matter  of  fact,  cooperage  concerns  could  not  use  a  Band  Saw  success- 
fully for  barrel-making. 


Cylinder  Saw 

The  next  group  of  saws  in  this  class  is  of  the  Cylinder  type — the 
Straight  Cylinder,  the  Bilge,  and  the  Bottom  Saw.  With  slight  variations 
these  are  made  along  lines  quite  similar  to  one  another.  As  alluded  to  in  the 
earlier  part  of  this  history,  while  the  cylinder  type  of  saw  is  of  very  early 

origin,  Sir  Samuel 
Bentham,  who  invented 
many  of  the  prototypes 
of  modern  saws,  among 
others  originated  the 
modern  Cylinder  Saw 
about  1804. 

It  consists  of  a  steel 
shaft,     and     cast     iron 
head.    Upon  the  head  is 
Bilge  Saw  screwed     a     drum,     or 

cylinder,  of  high  grade  iron  or  good  machinery  steel.  To  this  main  drum  is 
riveted  and  soldered  a  narrow,  specially  hardened  and  tempered  cylindrical 
steel  band,  a  few  inches  wide,  in  which  the  teeth  have  been  cut. 

Where  the  steel  band,  or  cutting  part  of  the  cylinder,  is  attached  to 
cylinder  proper,  special  beveled  "lap"  joints  are  employed  so  as  to  make 
the  entire  surface  of  the  cylinder  straight,  smooth  and  uniform. 

This  steel  band  is  gradually  reduced  in  width  by  successive  refitting,  or 
sharpening  of  the  saw.  When  reduced  to  such  an  extent  that  the  cylinder  in 
its  entirety  is  too  short  to  accommodate  the  length  of  staves  to  be  cut,  that 
part  of  the  cylinder  is  renewed  by  replacing  with  a  new  steel  band  to  bring 
the  cylinder  back  to  its  original  and  desired  length.  This  process  is  called 
re-steeling. 

The  mandrel,  or  shaft,  which  is  always  of  the  heaviest  and  best  material 
obtainable,  extends  beyond  both  ends  of  the  cylinder  to  allow  for  bearings. 
In  sawing,  the  "bolt,"  or  stock,  from  which  the  staves  are  cut,  is  clamped 
between  two  "dogs,"  attached  to  and  a  part  of  the  carriage.  The  carriage 
travels  on  tracks,  one  outside  and  the  other  inside  the  cylinder.  The  "bolt" 
or  stock,  clamped  on  the  carriage,  is  then  pushed  against  the  cutting  edge  of 
saw,  the  stave  drops  into  the  stave-holder  attached  to  carriage  and  is  drawn 
out  automatically  by  the  return  movement  of  the  carriage. 

In  this  group  of  saws  the  first  in  importance  and  general  use  is  the 

39 


straight  Cylinder  Saw,  which  is  used  for  making  tight  barrel  staves  for  bar- 
rels that  are  to  hold  liquid.  For  cooperage  work  this  is  made  with  prac- 
tically the  same  diameter  as  is  desired  in  the  finished  barrel,  and  of  suf- 
ficient length  to  cut  the  proper  size  staves.  The  straight  form  of  Cylinder 
Saw  has  the  walls  of  the  drum,  or  cylinder,  parallel  with  the  mandVel  for 
the  entire  length.  Of  course,  this  is  used  exclusively  for  cutting  staves 
that  are  straight  lengthwise,  but  are  rounded  crosswise  to  suit  the  circum- 
ference of  barrel  being  made. 

For  cutting  the  familiar  rounding,  or  bulging,  staves,  a  Cylinder  Saw 
called  the  Bilge  Saw  is  used.  The  Bilge  Saw  has  an  outward  bulge,  begin- 
ning at  the  ends,  and  gradually  increasing  in  diameter  toward  the  center, 
which  shape  is  imparted  to  the  stave  being  cut.  With  the  exception  of  its 
bulging  form  and  smaller  size,  the  Bilge  Saw  resembles  the  straight  Cylinder 
Saw  in  every  particular.  It  is  used  for  making  staves  for  smiall  kegs,  such 
as  nail  kegs ;  and,  owing  to  the  shape  of  the  saw,  leaves  a  bilge  in  the  stave, 
thereby  saving  stock.  Contrary  to  general  belief,  the  Bilge  Saw  is  not  of 
recent  origin.  There  was  patented  in  1832  or  1833  a  Bilge  Saw  with  in- 
serted teeth. 

Another  form  of  the  Cylinder  Saw  is  the  Bottom  Cutting  Saw.  Though 
of  the  same  type,  it  is  much  shorter,,  being  constructed  of  a  narrow,  toothed 
cylinder,  or  band  of  steel.  This  steel  band  is  formed  to  the  diameter  of  the 
bottoms  to  be  cut,  and  is  screwed  to  a  round  cast  iron  head.  The  saw 
revolves  on  a  vertical  mandrel,  the  end  of  which  is  set  in  the  center  of  the 
head,  and  in  addition  to  the  rotary  motion  has  a  sliding  up-and-down  move- 
ment. It  is  used  exclusively  to  cut  bottoms  for  barrels,  kegs,  and  baskets. 
The  stock  to  be  sawn  is  held  on  a  horizontal  table,  and  the  operator,  press- 
ing a  lever,  brings  the  saw  in  contact  with  it.  The  teeth  cut  at  all  points 
of  the  circle  at  the  same  time. 

There  are  a  number  of  saws  of  the  Cylinder  type  manufactured  for 
special  purposes  other  than  those  of  wood-working.  For  instance,  Henry 
Disston  &  Sons,  in  the  year  1908,  made  the  largest  Cylinder  Saw  ever  con- 
structed, and  intended  solely  for  cutting  stone.  This  big  Cylinder  Saw  was 
8  feet  9  inches  in  diameter,  and  30  inches  wide.  It  had  68  teeth,  each  of 
which  contained  a  diamond.  This  saw  cut  large  stones  into  curved  shapes 
for  arches,  and  saved  an  immense  amount  of  hand  labor. 

Another  variation  of  the  Cylinder  Saw  on  a  small  scale  is  the  Button 
Saw.  This  saw  goes  to  the  other  extreme,  being  quite  small,  and,  as  its  name 
signifies,  is  used  for  cutting  button  blanks  out  of  pearl  and  bone.  While 
cylindrical  in  form,  it  is  not  joined.  A  long,  thin,  tapering  wedge  is  in- 
serted to  retain  the  shape,  the  blank  end  being  slightly  larger  than  the 
toothed  end,  thus  permitting  the  button  blanks  to  pass  freely  through  the 
cylinder  and  drop  out.  The  length  is  usually  from  3£  to  4  inches,  while 
the  diameter  depends  upon  the  size  of  button  to  be  cut.  In  use  this  saw 
is  fastened  in  a  lathe. 

Surgeons  use  a  similar  small  saw,  revolved  by  hand,  for  removing  por- 
tions of  the  human  skull  when  it  is  necessary  to  relieve  pressure  on  the 
brain.  This  form  for  surgeons'  use  is  called  the  Trephine  or  Crown  Saw. 
Trephining  or  Trepaning  is  one  of  the  oldest  surgical  operations  known. 
History  tells  us  that  Hippocrates  used  a  Cylinder  Saw  of  his  own  invention 
for  this  purpose  over  400  years  before  the  Christian  era. 

The  foregoing  closes  the  history  of  the  general  types  of  Solid  Tooth 
Circular  Saws.  Still  continuing  on  Circular  Saws,  those  with  inserted  teeth 
will  be  dealt  with  next.  Only  that  class  used  for  cutting  wood,  however, 
will  be  first  described.  Later  on  the  Circular  Saw  of  the  inserted  tooth 
type  for  cutting  metal  will  be  taken  up. 

The  introduction  of  the  Inserted  Tooth  Circular  Saw  was  almost  as 
great  an  advance  over  the  Solid  Tooth  as  the  step  from  the  reciprocating 
saws  to  those  of  continuous  action. 

It  is  for  this  reason  that  among  distinctly  modern  saws  the  circular 

40 


saw  with  inserted  ceeth  occupies  a  prominent  place.  Reference  to  the  il- 
lustration on  page  14  will  show  the  variety  of  ideas  finding  expression  in  the 
early  types  of  teeth.  The  patent  records  show  that  the  first  generally 
known  inserted  teeth  were  those  invented  by  Kendall  in  1826,  as  already 


,  u  ^  ^  c 


^oro«*^ 

^K' 


Inserted  Tooth  Circular  Saw 

referred  to.  These  were  very  narrow  strips  of  steel  set  in  the  edge  of  the 
saw  plate,  and  held  in  place  by  hammering  a  burr  on  opposite  sides  of 
plate.  A  hole  was  cut  in  the  saw  plate  in  front  of  each  tooth,  to  catch 
the  sawdust  and  carry  it  out  of  the  cut. 

Although  this  is  the  earliest  rec- 
ord of  the  detachable  or  removable 
tooth,  still  the  bulk  of  evidence  seems 
to  point  to  the  year  1839  as  that  in 
which  the  inserted  tooth  had  its  real 
beginning.  The  greatest  advance  was 
not  made,  however,  until  1859,  when,  as 
described  previously,  Spaulding,  while 
experimenting  at  Sacramento,  Cal.,  dis- 
covered the  principle  of  inserting  the  teeth  on  curved  lines. 

The  steady  growth  of  the  use  of  inserted  tooth  circular  saws  for  lumber- 
making  is  due  to  its  many  advantages,  the  foremost  of  which  is  the  fact 
that  the  original  diameter  of  the  blade  is  always  retained,  whereas  the 
repeated  sharpening  of  the  solid  tooth  saw  gradually  reduces  its  size  and 
reduces  its  tension,  necessitating  more  frequent  hammering,  until  finally 

41 


Tooth 

before 

Swaging 


the  blade  becomes  too  small  for  use  in  sawing  logs  of  the  larger  diameters. 
With  the  inserted  tooth,  the  amount  of  filing  is  reduced  to  a  minimum, 
thus  saving  machinery,  time,  and  files.     When  the  teeth    (frequently  called 
"points"   or    "bits")    become    worn    out    or    broken   by   accident   they    are 
replaced  with  new  ones,  an  operation  which  consumes  but  little 
time,  and  can  be  done  while  the  saw  is  on  the  mandrel. 

The  gullet  or  throat  room  is  also  a  vital  point  in  large  saws, 
for  upon  this  depends  the  amount  of  "feed"  which  the  saw  can 
carry.  If  this  dust  chamber  is  not  sufficiently  large  or  properly 
formed  the  sawdust  will  not  be  carried  out  of  the 
cut  and  the  saw  will  "choke  down."  On  this  ac- 
count it  is  highly  important  to  have  perfectly  formed 
gullets,  though  it  is  not  always  an  easy  matter  to  form 
them — especially  when  proper  tools  are  lacking — so  it 
will  be  seen  that  the  absence  of  the  necessity  for  gum- 
ming an  inserted  tooth  saw  is  another  excellent  feature. 
The  chief  difficulty  experienced  in  the  manufacture 
of  inserted  tooth  circular  saws  was  in  the  endeavor 
properly  to  secure  the  teeth  in  the  saw  plate,  and  to  do 
so  without  interfering  with  the  tension,  or  distorting 
the  blade.  The  difficulty  can  readily  be  appreciated  when 
it  is  remembered  that  the  saw  revolves  at  a  high  speed, 
and  is  subjected  to  great  strain  in  the  working;  that 
Swage  not  only  must  the  teeth  be  fastened  so  they  will  not  fly 
^et  out  while  in  motion,  but  to  withstand  side  strain. 

Another  important  item  in  the  inserted  tooth  saw  is  that 
the  teeth  being  separate  from  the  blade  provides  the  opportunity 
of  hardening  them  to  a  greater  degree,  thus  insuring  more  durable 
and  lasting  cutting  edges.  The  teeth  are  made  in  various  patterns  Spring 
— certain  forms  being  best  adapted  for  sawing  hardwood,  and 
others  for  soft  wood. 


Set 


Swaged  and  Slotted  Holder  Ribbed  Swaged  Holder 

Improvements  in  the  Disston  inserted  tooth  saws  provide  a  holder  which 

fits  the  socket  perfectly  and  rests  on  the  blade  for  its  entire  length  when 

the  tooth  is  in  place. 

Holders  are  made  in  several  patterns.    The  regular  holder  is  of  an  even 

thickness  throughout,  a  form  preferred  by  many  millmen,  since  it  permits 

the  teeth  or  bits  to  be  worn  down  close  to  the  gauge  or  thickness  of  the  saw. 


Another  style  is  swaged  in  the  throat,  a  gauge  and  a  half  heavier  than 
the  saw  plate  proper.  This  style  is  serviceable  for  the  cutting  of  frozen 
timber,  as  the  swaged  holder  keeps  the  cut  free  fromi  the  dust  which  some- 
times passes  down  the  sides  of  the  saw  and  freezes  to  the  log.  Still  another 
pattern,  much  heavier  at  the  throat,  is  termed  the  ribbed  swaged  holder, 
and  is  used  quite  largely  on  the  Pacific  Coast. 

Holders  of  the  slotted 

rjav^  pattern      are      made      for 

^^^f  .A   those     who     prefer     that 

.JM  -'^f   style — the     purpose    being 

am  Jot          to  giye  them  greater  elas- 


__  |p        In   these    inserted   tooth 

^|  saws       an       inverted       V- 

|  •  JH  shoulder    is    milled   in   the 

WF^iSL  JM|  1     socket 'which    fits    into    a 

^tfl^^^          ^S^  I    corresponding     V-shaped 

f  groove  in  the  holder  and 
bit,  which  form  of  design, 
I  together  with  the  spring 
I  of  the  holder  itself,  se- 
cures both  firmly  in  place. 
For  the  insertion  or 
removal  of  the  teeth  and  holders  a  special  wrench  is  furnished,  by  means 
of  which  the  work  of  exchanging  worn  or  damaged  teeth  is  performed  in  a 
few  minutes. 

The  Disston  Chisel  Tooth  Saws 
(a  type  of  inserted  tooth)  are  made 
in  the  various  gauges  and  ten  dif- 
ferent sizes  of  teeth,  each  having 
various  widths  of  cutting  edges; 
they  are  made  suitable  for  a  feed 
of  \  inch  to  the  revolution  of  the 
saw,  or  for  the  heavy  steam  and  shotgun  feeds 
employed  in  cutting  the  largest  timber. 

The  great  variation  in  the  size  of  circular 
saws  with  inserted  teeth  is  well  pictured  in  the 
accompanying  illustration,  which  shows  the 
largest  and  smallest  types  regularly  made. 

The  small  tooth  is  a  No.  4£,  which  is  13 

gauge,  with  ^g-inch  cutting  edge,  and  the 
large  tooth  is  a  No.  1,  3  gauge,  f  inch  on 
cutting  edge — the  latter  being  used  only  for 
removing  the  bark  and  gritty  surface  in 
advance  of  the  saw  doing  the  cutting. 

The  inserted  tooth  pattern  is  also  adapted  to  gang  edger  saws, 
lath  bolter  saws,  knee  bolter  saws,  lath  saws,  clapboard  saws,  box- 
board  saws,  bench  saws,  grooving  saws,  and  for  many  other  special 
purposes  which  thoroughly  demonstrate  its  usefulness  and -popularity. 
The  Chisel  Tooth  Saws  referred  to  in  the  foregoing  are  used 
only  for  ripping,   or  cutting  with  the  grain.      For  cross-cutting, 
i.  e.,  cutting  across  the  grain,  a  different  style  of  tooth  is  necessary 
by  reason  of  the  fact  that  in  cutting  across  the  grain  the  fibres 
of  the  wood  must  be  severed,  which  requires  a  knife  or  shearing 
cut  to  be  made. 

The  Disston  spiral  inserted  tooth  Cut-off  Saw  is  the  latest  development 
in  the  way  of  a  rapid  smooth  cutting  and  easy  driving  cut-off  saw,  and  has 
proved  superior  to  any  other  form  of  cut-off  saw  of  inserted  tooth  type 
manufactured.  The  teeth  are  inserted  in  the  blade  on  spiral  lines,  which 


not  only  gives  full  clearance  to  each  individual  tooth,  but  also  gives  the 
entire  blade  perfect  clearance  in  the  largest  cuts. 

The  manner  in  which  the  teeth  are  inserted 
in  the  plate  does  away  with  the  necessity  of  set- 
ting or  springing  the  teeth  for  clearance.  Sharp- 
ening is  the  only  operation  for  keeping  the  saw 
in  running  order.  As  will  be  seen  in  the  accom- 
panying illustration,  the  inserted  tooth  circular 
cross-cut  saws  are  fitted  with  sections  containing 
two  or  four  prongs,  or  teeth.  These  teeth  are  de- 
signed for  use  only  in  saws  36  inches  and  larger 
in  diameter.  They  are  made  in  5,  6,  7,  8,  and  9 
gauge  only. 

This  style  of  saw  is  particularly  adapted  for 
Four  Prong  use    in    stave    mills;    also    for    Slab    and    Slasher 

Saws,  and  for  all  mills  where  logs  or  cants  are  cut  into  short  lengths  or 
bolts. 

In  the  line  of  special  work,  inserted  tooth  Circular  Saws  are  also  used 
for  cutting  slate,  limestone,  coral,  ice,  slots  in  corrugated  paper,  etc. 

The  leading  type,  however,  as  known  to-day  is  the  large  inserted  tooth 
Log  Saw,  the  average  being  60  inches  in  diameter,  although  made  in  various 
sizes  from  12  to  72  inches  and  larger,  and  varying  in  thickness. 


Method  of  Using  Chisel  Tooth  Wrench 

The  latest  development  in  this  type  of  saw  is  known  as  the  No.  33  and 
No.  44  Chisel  Tooth  Saw.  This  design  embraces  new  ideas  in  the  method  of 
holding  the  bits  in  place,  by  which  they  always  stay  central;  there  is  no 
lateral  motion  of  the  shank,  consequently  the  saw  runs  better,  cutting 
smoother  lumber,  while  the  possibility  of  the  points  starting  forward  in 
cutting  frozen  timber  is  entirely  eliminated.  There  has  been  no  change  in 
the  sockets  of  either  the  No.  3  or  No.  4,  the  new  Nos.  33  and  44  fitting  same 
perfectly.  Owing  to  the  formation  of  the  improved  wrench  for  these  new 
bits  and  holders  they  are  under  better  control  and  can  quickly  be  inserted 
in  the  plate. 

To  those  not  familiar  with  sawing,  the  modern  inserted  tooth  and  solid 
tooth  Circular  Saws  seem  ordinary  looking  implements.  A  more  intimate 
acquaintance,  however,  brings  out  the  fact  that  they  are  made  on  scientific 
lines,  the  speed  and  feed  at  which  they  are  to  run  and  their  work  being  pre- 
determined. For  instance,  there  is  a  relation  of  the  hook,  pitch,  or  rake  of 
the  tooth  to  the  periphery  line,  the  clearance  on  the  back  if  not  sufficient 
would  cause  the  saw  to  knuckle  or  rub  in  the  cut  (i.  e.,  top  of  plate  would 
nib  the  log).  If  the  cutting  edge  of  tooth  stands  too  high  it  would  have 
a  tendency  to  tear  the  wood  instead  of  cutting  free,  and  this  is  likely  to 
cause  the  teeth  to  break.  Taking  a  48-tooth  saw,  cutting  3-inch  feed,  at 
one  revolution  of  the  saw  each  tooth  would  cut  •&  inch,  while,  if  the  same 


saw  were  running  at  6-inch  feed  the  saw  would  consequently  be  taking  a 
bigger  "bite"  and  each  tooth  would  cut  |  inch  per  revolution,  but  on  ac- 
count of  the  heavier  bite  it  is  necessary  that  greater  clearance  be  given 
the  teeth;  in  other  words,  the  teeth  should  be  pitched  slightly  higher. 


Log  Band  Saw   (coiled) 


The  inserted  tooth  Circular  Saw  to-day  has  reached  a  high  state  of 
efficiency.  Given  a  proper  equipment  and  sufficient  power,  skilfully  con- 
trolled, it  will  never  be  supplanted  in  its  line  by  any  other  type  of  saw. 

Standing  pre-eminently  at  the  head  of  modern  Continuous  Action  Saws, 
both  in  size  and  usefulness,  is  the  Band  Saw.  The  great  lumber  industry, 
to  which  the  world  owes  so  much,  places  its  dependence  largely  upon  the 
capacity  and  efficiency  of  this  type  of  saw. 

Band  Saws,  which  to-day  range  in  size  from  £  inch  to  18  inches  in 
width,  are  familiar  to  almost  everyone.  They  consist  of  an  endless  band, 
or  ribbon  of  steel,  usually  toothed  on  one  edge.  They  are  aljso  made  with 
both  edges  toothed.  This  is  generally  done  in  the  case  of  large  Band  Saws, 
although  double  edge  Band  Saws  are  sometimes  made  in  widths  as  narrow 
as  8  inches. 

The  band  is  run  over  two  wheels,  or  pulleys,  which,  except  in  the  case 
of  horizontal  Band  Saw  Machines,  are  set  one  above  the  other,  and  spaced 
some  distance  apart. 

In  using  small  Band  Saws  the  work  rests  upon  a  tilting,  or  adjustable 
table,  through  the  center  of  which  the  saw  passes,  the  work  being  fed  by 
hand. 

For  general  work,  the  blades  are  made  as  narrow  as  £  inch,  and  from 
that  are  graduated  up  by  eighths  to  1|  inches,  saws  up  to  this  width  being 
considered  "Narrow  Band  Saws."  The  length  is  usually  18  feet,  and  longer, 
according  to  the  size  of  the  machines  on  which  they  are  used. 

The  fact  that  with  a  narrow  Band  Saw  circles  or  other  curved  lines  can 


be  cut  in  any  desired  direction,  makes  it  available  for  use  in  cutting  intri- 
cate and  ornamental  patterns.  Where  formerly  scroll  sawing  was  done  en- 
tirely by  the  Re- 
ciprocating type 
—Web  or  Scroll 
Saws,  working 
up  or  down, 
and  Compass 
Saws — now  the 
narrow  Band 


Narrow  Band  Saw 


Saw  is  being 
widely  used 

with  excellent  and  greater  results.  Its  downward  motion  carries  the  saw- 
dust away  without  the  aid  of  a  blower, 
leaving  the  lines  drawn  on  the  work  per- 
fectly clear  to  operator. 

It  is  understood,  of  course,  that 
Band  Saws  can  be  used  in  this  connec- 
tion only  in  cases  where  the  pattern  is 
begun  on  the  edge  of  the  stock;  for  in- 
terior designs  it  is  necessary  to  use  a 
Reciprocating  Saw  (Jig  Saw),  the  end 
of  which  can  be  passed  through  the  in- 
terior of  the  pattern. 

The  Band  Saw  has  superseded  the 
Circular  Saw  in  several  lines  of  work. 
It  has  many  advantages  over  the  Circu- 
lar Saw — especially  in  that  class  of  saw- 
ing where  its  very  thin  blade  makes  it 
desirable.  Band  Saws  from  2  to  8  inches, 
in  some  cases  10  and  12  inches  in  width, 
are  extensively  used  for  ripping  and  re- 
sawing,  for,  compared  with  the  Circular 
Saw,  they  save  kerf,  time,  and  power. 

This  leads  us  to  the  consideration  of 
the  Band  Saw  as  related  to  the  sawmill. 
Before  its  introduction  there  was  a  limit 
in  the  size  of  timber  which  could  be 
sawn  by  Circular  Saws,  which  could  cut 
only  logs  of  a  size  slightly  less  than  half 
the  diameter  of  the  saw.  The  size  of  the 
saw  itself  was  also  limited;  difficulties 
of  management  and  running  arose  as 
soon  as  the  saw  diameter  was  increased 
beyond  a  certain  point. 

Double  mills  were  used  to  a  great 
extent  in  regions  where  large  timber  was 
being  cut.  By  this  arrangement,  which 
consisted  of  two  Circular  Saws,  one  above 
the  other,  logs  of  an  ordinary  size  were 
sawn  with  the  larger,  or  "main"  Circular 
Saw,  while  the  smaller,  or  "Top  Saw," 
was  brought  into  action  when  a  log  ex- 
ceeded the  capacity  of  the  main  saw. 
The  Band  Saw  obviated  all  this,  for  there 
is  practically  no  limit  to  the  size  of 
logs  which  can  be  cut  by  Band  Saws. 

In  large  Band  Mills,  as  a  rule,  the 
Double-edge  Band  Saw  work  is  brought  to  the  saw  upon  a  car- 

46 


riage  driven  by  feeding  devices  independent  of  the  saw,  although  there  is 
a  rig  being  placed  on  the  market  where  the  saw  travels  to  the  log. 

Compared  with  the  Reciprocating  Saws  formerly  used  in  sawmills,  such 
as  Mill,  Gang,  etc.,  the  Band  Saw  has  the  advantage  of  steady  and  con- 
tinuous cutting  action,  no  time  being  lost  in  a  return  stroke.  However, 
gangs  of  Reciprocating  Saws,  by  reason  of  their  ability  to  cut  as  many 
as  30  boards  at  one  time,  are  still  retained  in  numbers  of  large  mills  as  an 
adjunct  to  the  Bands. 

When  one  considers  the  value  of  every  tk  inch  saved  in  kerf  in  the 
course  of  a  day's  sawing  of  several  hundred  thousand  feet,  the  great  econ- 
omy in  using  the  thin  blade  Band  Saw  over  the  Circular  Saw  can  be  more 
fully  appreciated. 

Large  Band  Saws  for  log  sawing  range  from  8  to  18  inches  in  width. 
The  general  width  for  single-edged  Bands  is  12  inches,  while  double-edged 
Band  Saws  (i.  e.,  toothed  on  both  edges)  are  made  in  a  variety  of  sizes. 
The  majority  of  these  latter,  however,  are  about  14  inches  in  width,  al- 
though, as  previously  stated,  some  few  are  made  as  narrow  as  8  inches. 

The  length  of  the  standard  log  Band  Saw  varies,  according  to  size  and 
make  of  mill,  from  40  to  60  feet. 

Although  the  practise  of  toothing  both  edges  of  a  Mill  Saw  blade 
( Reciprocating  type)  dates  back  to  the  sixteenth  century,  it  is  a  feature 
that  has  never  been  extensively  employed  until  quite  recently.  Double- 
edged  Band  Saws  are  now  used  frequently  and  the  log  can  be  cut  as  it 
moves  in  both  directions — going  and  coming — thus  adding  materially  to  the 
output  of  the  mill. 

The  swage  set  is  principally  used  on  Log  Bands  and  Resaws.  Swaging 
the  teeth  consists  of  spreading  or  widening  the  cutting  edge  of  each  tooth 
so  that  it  extends  slightly  beyond  each  side  of  the  blade,  giving  clearance 
to  the  body  of  the  saw  while  cutting.  Sufficient  clearance  prevents  fric- 
tion and  insures  free  running.  Then,  too,  with  the  swaged  tooth  both 
corners  of  the  tooth  cut,  consequently  it  will  not  only  do  twice  as  much 
work  as  a  spring-set  tooth,  which  merely  cuts  half  a  kerf,  but,  in  addition, 
it  will  stand  more  feed,  thus  greatly  increasing  the  capacity  of  the  mill. 
Small,  narrow  Band  Saws,  on  the  other  hand,  are  always  fitted  with  a 
spring-set.  With  the  spring-set  the  point  of  one  tooth  is  bent  to  the  right, 
the  next  to  the  left,  and  so  on  alternately  throughout  the  length  of  the 
saw.  This  effects  the  necessary  clearance. 

Some  time  ago  Henry  Disston  &  Sons  made  several  inserted  tooth  Band 
Saws  for  sawing  stone.  One  of  these  was  45  feet  6  inches  long,  8  inches 
wide,  and  contained  273  inserted  teeth,  each  with  a  diamond  embedded  in  the 
point.  The  teeth  of  these  saws  were  small — only  |  inch  in  length — and 
cast  around  the  diamond  points.  They  were  of  a  square  form,  fitting  into 
square  sockets  in  the  saw  plate. 

These,  however,  have  not  been  sufficiently  tested  to  warrant  an  opinion 
as  to  their  general  adaptability  in  this  line  of  work. 

The  Band  Saw  has  reached  its  highest  form  of  usefulness  in  its  present 
employment  in  gangs.  There  are  several  mills  in  this  country  and  Canada 
using  gangs  containing  two  or  more  machines.  Two  of  the  largest  gangs 
to-day  consist  one  of  four  and  the  other  of  five  Band  Saws,  used  in  resawing. 

A  feature  of  one  of  the  mills  is  the  band  gang  made  up  of  five  6-foot 
band  rigs,  carrying  10-inch  saws,  cutting  |-inch  kerf.  These  bands  are  set 
one  back  of  the  other,  tandem,  with  their  bases  movable,  permitting  the 
sawing  of  any  thickness  of  lumber  desired.  For  instance,  if  2-inch  "stuff" 
is  being  sawn  and  the  sawyer  desires  to  change  to  1-inch  he  does  so  by 
operating  a  lever  controlling  a  valve  on  the  compressed-air  cylinder.  The 
cants  are  fed  through  the  band  gang  on  live  rolls  running  vertically,  those 
in  the  rear  of  the  table  being  stationary  and  those  on  the  opposite  side 
movable  to  allow  the  admission  of  different  sized  cants,  an  unique  arrange- 
ment of  press  rolls.  The  rolls  on  the  front  side,  in  addition  to  feeding  the 

47 


cant  through,  hold  it  up  tight  to  the  vertical  table  or  straight  edge  by  air 
pressure. 

The  Band  Slabber  is  made  of  two  Band  Saws,  a  right  and  left,  through 
which  the  log  is  run,  a  screw  mechanism  being  used  to  adjust  the  saws 
according  to  the  size  log  to  be  cut.  The  log  to  be  cut  is  dropped  into  a 
V-shaped  trough,  which  automatically  centers  it,  while  an  endless  chain 
feeds  it  to  the  saw.  As  it  passes  between  these  two  saws  the  two  sides 
are  taken  off  simultaneously. 

Mills  are  known  as  Right-  or  Left-hand  Mills,  according  to  the  side  from 
which  the  log  is  fed  to  the  saw.  In  ordering  a  Band  Saw  it  is  always 
necessary  to  state  whether  it  is  for  a  Right-  or  Left-hand  Mill.  In  a  Right- 
hand  Band  Saw  the  teeth  run  down  to  the  right  as  you  stand  facing  the 
saw,  and  the  reverse  in  a  left-hand  saw.  This  is  accomplished  in  a  very 
simple  manner  by  turning  the  ends  of  the  band  either  to  the  right  or  left 
before  making  the  braze. 

Band  Saws,  like  Circular  Saws,  are  employed  to  cut  a  great  variety  of 
materials  in  addition  to  wood.  Among  these  are :  Slate,  Fibre-board,  Paper, 
Bone,  Meat,  Hard  Rubber,  Ivory,  Asbestos,  Magnesia,  Horn,  Amber,  Cloth, 
Bronze,  Brass,  Copper,  Aluminum,  Nickel,  Iron,  Steel,  Carbon,  Ice,  Cellu- 
loid, Talc,  Camphor,  Mica,  Pe^rl,  Shell,  and  Cardboard. 

When  you  consider  that  the  modern  Band  Saw  travels  at  the  speed  of 
about  1£  miles  per  minute — or  faster  than  the  fastest  express  train — that 
in  connection  with  its  width  it  is  extraordinarily  thin,  you  will  have  some 
idea  of  the  strain  to  which  it  is  subjected,  and  a  better  conception  of  the 


26-inch  Blade,  Bar  Cold  Saw  Cutting  Off  Machine 
48 


wonderful  quality  of  the  steel  that  has  made  the  production  of  these  saws 
possible. 

The  Band  Saw,  which  remains  to-day  in  practically  the  same  form  as 
when  invented,  is  still  the  last  word  in  saw  efficiency.  It  is  in  the  perfect- 
ing of  a  suitable  steel  to  withstand  the  successive  bending  and  straighten- 
ing while  in  operation,  the  making  of  a  proper  joint  or  "braze,"  and  the 
improvement  in  the  form  of  the  teeth  that  modern  advances  have  been  made. 

It  is  hardly  safe  to  predict  what  may  be  developed  in  the  way  of  im- 
provements to  the  saws  at  present  manufactured,  but  it  is  difficult  to  con- 
ceive of  anything  which  will  surpass  the  material,  construction,  and  opera- 
tion of  the  Band  Saw  as  now  used,  and  to  Henry  Disston  &  Sons  is  due, 
in  no  small  measure,  the  final  attainment  of  this  high  efficiency. 

Previously  were  described  those  types  of  saws — both  reciprocating  and 
continuous  action — employed  in  sawing  wood;  also  certain  reciprocating 
types  for  metal  cutting,  viz.:  Hand  Hack  Saws.  The  next  in  order  and 
final  group  is  that  class  of  Metal-cutting  Discs  and  Saws  of  continuous  ac- 
tion, driven  by  power. 

Powerful  and  rapid  as  may  be  the  action  of  saws  in  severing  wood,  still 
it  is  not  so  strikingly  wonderful  nor  so  appealing  to  the  mind  mechanically 
inclined  as  is  the  cutting  or  dividing  of  hard  metals  by  means  of  a  saw 
blade. 

To  the  uninitiated  it  would  seem  an  impossible  feat  for  a  revolving, 
comparatively  thin  blade  to  drive  its  way  through  a  mass  of  iron  or  steel 
without  being  shattered  or  stripping  off  the  teeth.  But  such  has  been  the 
advancement  in  the  construction  of  these  saws  and  the  steel  used  in  their 
manufacture  that  this  seemingly  impossible  task  is  easily  and  quickly 
performed. 

It  is  not  so  many  years  ago  that  the  working  of  metal  to  size  was  done 
by  what  would  now  be  considered  a  very  crude,  laborious  and  expensive 
method.  It  was  usually  done  in  a  blacksmith  shop,  the  smaller  work  being 
forged  to  shape,  the  larger  sheared  off  and  dressed  up  with  a  file,  while  in 
such  cases  where  joints  or  mitres  were  required  on  beams,  girders,  etc.,  the 
work  was  sheared  to  length,  the  required  angle  then  cut  on  a  planer  or 
shaper.  This  method  afterward  gave  way  to  the  adoption  of  special  shears, 
though  this  did  not  give  an  accurate  angle  and  necessitated  further  work  of 
dressing  off.  All  of  these  methods  consumed  considerable  time. 

The  use  of  the  Circular,  Band  and  Hand  Metal-cutting  Saws  has  ren- 
dered possible  to  a  greater  extent  the  employment  of  metals  in  the  trades, 
as  modern  appliances  for  shaping  and  cutting  with  this  class  of  tool  have 
reduced  to  a  nominal  figure  the  hitherto  prohibitive  cost,  the  work  now 
being  done  with  comparative  ease. 

As  iron  and  steel  construction  work,  etc.,  increased,  corresponding  im- 
provements were  made  in  the  manufacture  of  saws  looking  to  greater  effi- 
ciency and  durability.  This,  in  turn,  necessitated  the  making  of  a  steel 
which,  when  manufactured  into  saws,  would  withstand  the  tremendous  heat 
and  shock  of  cutting  metal,  and  still  retain  its  temper  and  cutting  qualities. 

As  an  outcome  of  many  careful  and  painstaking  experiments,  in  which 
various  rare  and  valuable  alloys  were  used,  a  number  of  new  grades  of 
steel  were  obtained.  The  most  important  achievement  is  the  grade  termed 
"High-speed  Steel,"  by  reason  of  the  fact  that  saws  and  tools  made  of  this 
material  can  be  run  at  a  much  higher  rate  of  speed  and  a  deeper  cut 
taken,  it  being  capable  of  withstanding  the  great  frictional  heat  without 
losing  its  hardness. 

Given  a  steel  which  could  be  relied  upon,  it  lay  with  the  saw-maker 
to  devise  various  types  of  saws  for  metal-cutting  particularly  suited  to  the 
different  purposes  in  the  widening  field  of  operation.  And  it  was  no  easy 
task;  for,  to  secure  highest  results,  long- continued  experimenting  and  tests 
were  necessary  to  determine  the  correct  shape,  pitch  and  space  of  teeth; 
the  speed  at  which  the  saw  should  run,  and  the  amount  of  feed — each  point 

49 


Circular   (Friction)    Disc 


mentioned  being  controlled  by  the  kind  of  metal  to  be  cut.  That  success 
has  been  achieved  is  attested  by  the  many  and  varied  purposes  for  which 
these  saws  are  employed  to-day. 

The  general  classes 
of  circular  metal  cutters 
are:  Circular  Discs 
(plates  without  teeth), 
run  at  high  speed  for 
cutting  cold  metal ;  Cir- 
cular Saws  ( toothed ) , 
for  cutting  hot  or  cold 
metal  at  high  speed; 
Circular  Milling  Saws, 
for  cutting  metal  at  slow 
speed ;  Metal  Slitting 
Saws ;  Screw  Slotting 
Saws,  and  next,  but  con- 
stituting the  most  recent 
improvements  and  high- 
est form,  the  Inserted 
Tooth  Milling  Saw;  then 
follows  the  Band  Saw  for 
metal,  each  of  these  types 
being  made  of  a  quality 
of  steel  peculiarly  adapted 
to  the  work  to  be  done. 
Taking  them  up  in 

order  named: 

Discs   (circular  plates  without  teeth)   are  used  for  cutting  cold  iron  or 

steel.     They  are  run  at  a  high  speed,   about  24,000  feet  per  minute,   rim 

motion,  and  cut  by  friction.     In  size  thev  vary  from   14  inches,   10  gauge, 

to  50   inches  in   diameter,   3   gauge,  or   J£   inch  thick.     They  are  used  in 

foundries,  forges  and  metal-working  plants,   cutting  metal,   such  as  rails, 

beams,  bar  stock,  etc.,  to  size. 

These    Friction    Discs,    as    they   are    sometimes    called,   eat   their   way 

through   the   metal    by   a    process    of    fusing   or    melting   the   stock.      The 

tremendous  speed  at  which  they  run  creates  intense  heat  which  melts  the 

stock  away  from  in  front  of  the  disc 

edge.      In    Sheffield,    England,    some 

years  ago,  a  Friction  Disc  measuring 

9  feet  in  diameter  was 

in    use    for    some    time. 

A  speed  of  86,000  feet 

per  minute,  rimi  motion, 

was  attained  with  this 

in  cutting  6-inch  armor 

plate.      So    much    heat 

was  created  by  it  that 

it  was  necessary  to  play 

a  continuous  and  heavy 

stream  of  water  on  the 

edge  of  the  disc  to  pre- 
vent   its    (fusing    along 

with    the     stock    being 

cut.      Owing   to    the   nature    of   the 

discs    and    the    methods    of    cutting 

they    must    be    run    at    exceedingly 

high  speed  or  they  will  not  work. 

For  cutting  hot  iron  and  steel  at  high  speed,  Solid  Tooth  Circular  Saws 


Special  Milling  Saw  :   Sprocket-drive 


Circular  Milling  Saw 


(sometimes  termed  Hot  Saws)  are  used,  ranging  in  size  from  14  inches  in 
diameter,  10  gauge,  or  |  inch  thick,  to  50  inches,  3  gauge,  or  J|  inch  thick, 
having  teeth  varying  from  f  to  |  inch  space.  Hot  Saws  are  run  at  a  slightly 
lower  speed  than  Friction  Discs,  or  about  20,000  feet  per  minute,  rim 
motion. 

Similar  saws,  revolving  at  high  speed,  are  also  used  for  rapidly  sawing 
cold  iron  and  steel. 

Both   the  above  styles  of  saws 
are  used  in  iron  and  steel  works  for 
cutting   I-beams,   girders   and   rails, 
etc.,     to     merchantable 
lengths. 

The  most  widely 
used  type  of  solid  tooth 
circular  metal-cutting 
saw  is  the  slow  motion 
Milling  Saw.  It  bears 
the  same  relation  in  the 
metal-working  industry 
as  the  Circular  and 
Band  Saw  do  in  lumber 
manufacturing.  The 
principal  sizes  range 
from  8  inches  in  diam- 
eter, 16  gauge,  or  i  inch  thick,  to 
60  inches,  000  gauge,  or  ^  inch 
thick.  For  clearance  in  the  cut 
some  are  ground  thin  or  slightly  tapering  toward  centre,  and  others  finished 
even  in  thickness  from  rim  to  centre,  with  the  teeth  swaged  or  set. 

These  saws  are  used  in  machine  shops,  foundries,  forges,  rolling  mills, 
etc.,  on  machines,  some  of  which  drive  the  saws  from  the  centre  in  the 
ordinary  manner,  while  others  drive  from  the  rim  by  means  of  a  sprocket 
wheel  engaging  in  perforations  in  the 
saw  blade  near  the  edge,  as  shown  in 
illustration. 

Saws  of  this  class, 
intended  for  cutting 
hard  and  heavy  stock, 
are  made  of  a  grade  of 
steel  especially  adapted 
for  the  wrork  to  be  done, 
and  the  blades  left  as 
hard  as  is  practical  to 
work. 

The  successful  work- 
ing   of   a    Milling    Saw 
does    not    rest    entirely 
with     the    material     of 
which    it   is   made,   for, 
as  previously  stated,  a  great  deal  de- 
pends   upon    its    teeth— their    shape,  Special  Milling  Saw 
size,  number  and  space.     The  speed 

and  feed  at  which  any  circular  saw  can  be  run  depends  largely  on  the 
number  and  shape  of  teeth. 

The  proper  styles  of  teeth  for  different  classes  of  work  have  been  deter- 
mined on  scientific  lines  and  proved  by  actual  demonstration.  For  instance, 
to  saw  metal  tubing,  fine  teeth  are  required.  The  reason  for  this  is  quite 
obvious  when  attention  is  called  to  the  fact  that  all  metal-cutting  saws 
must  have  a  comparatively  "straight  front"  or  hook  instead  of  a  V-shaped 

51 


Early  American  Saw  Mill 


tooth,  consequently  as  soon  as  the  points  of  the  teeth  penetrate  the  thick- 
ness of  the  metal  tube,  if  too  coarse,  they  engage  or  catch  in  the  edge  of  the 
metal,  and  breakage  is  the  result. 

In  cutting  small  sections  of  solid  metal  the  space  or  pitch  of  teeth 
should  be  closer  than  for  large  work,  and  there  should  always  be  two  or 
more  teeth  in  the  cut  at  the  same  time;  while  for  cutting  rails,  beams,  etc., 

&  inch  space  of 
teeth  in  solid 
tooth  saws,  24 
to  30  inches  in 
diameter,  i  s 
considered 
right. 

While  or- 
dinary solid 
tooth  Milling 
Saws  are  run 
at  slow  speed, 
this,  of  course, 
varies  accord- 
ing to  the  hard- 
ness or  density 
and  size  of  the 
stock  to  be  cut. 
When  sawing 
open -hearth  steel 
rails  they 
should  run 

about  30  feet  rim  motion  per  minute,  and  at  45  feet  for  beams,  etc.;  for 
wrought  iron,  a  speed  of  60  feet  rim  motion  per  minute;  and  on  brass  or 
soft  metals  the  speed  can  be  increased  to  about  five  times  that  of  cutting 
iron. 

Small  Circular  Milling  Saws  are  also  used  in  portable  machines  for 
railroad  construction  work  and  repairs,  etc.  The  machine  is  clamped  to  the 
rail,  and  the  saw  adjusted  to  cut  either  straight  or  diagonally,  as  may  be 
required.  While  these  machines  are  adapted  for  hand  operation,  they  are 
also  arranged  to  work  by  power.  This  constituted  a  great  advance  over  the 
old  hammer  and  chisel  method  of  cutting,  the  work  being  done  better  and 
in  considerably  less  time. 

The  next  in  order  is  the  Metal  Slitting  Saw,  which,  in  point  of  fact,  is 
simply  a  small  size  milling  saw. 

These  saws,  as  the  name  indicates,  are  used  for  the  purpose  of  making  a 
narrow  or  thin  groove  or  slit  in  metals,  particularly  where  accuracy  is 
required.  For  instance,  the  ends  of  some  patterns  of  Butcher  Saw  Frames 
are  slit  to  receive  the  blade;  in  many  gas  stoves  the  slots  in  the  burners  are 
sawn,  these  giving  a  better  flame  than  cast  or  drilled  holes.  They  are  also 
used  for  various  kinds  of  general  machine  shop  work. 

These  saws  are  adapted  to  many  other  lines  of  work.  For  example,  a 
very  thin  saw,  about  f  inch  diameter,  is  used  for  cutting  a  slot  in  the  ends 
of  certain  knitting  needles,  used  in  a  machine,  the  thread  being  held  in  the 
slot  instead  of  in  the  usual  eye,  which  is  commonly  associated  with  a  needle. 
A  similar  very  fine  saw  is  employed  for  slitting  the  nibs  of  the  coarser 
styles  of  pens,  this  saw  being  about  6/1000  of  an  inch  thick.  Then  again 
there  are  special  sizes  used  by  jewelers  for  cutting  chain-links,  etc.  These 
are  made  of  cold-rolled  steel  and  are  not  ground. 

Metal  Slitting  Saws  generally  range  in  size  from  2£  to  7  inches  in 
diameter,  and  from  ^2  to  £  inch  in  thickness.  Owing  to  the  nature  of  their 
work  they  are  made  of  a  particular  quality  of  steel,  with  teeth  of  a  character 


52 


making  them  strong  and  effective  cutters.  They  are  specially  hardened  and 
tempered,  accurately  ground  to  gauge,  and  tapering  thinner  toward  centre 
for  clearance. 

For  particular  work,  where  a  definite  and  positive  width  of  cut  is  to  be 
made,  they  are  ground  to  micrometer  gauge,  so  strict  are  the  specifications 
as  to  thickness. 

Somewhat  smaller  in  size  are  the  Screw  Slotting  Saws,  their  name  also 
implying  their  use — cutting  the  slots  in  screws.  These  are  generally  used  in 
machines  which  do  the  work  automatically.  Screw  Slotting  Saws  range  in 
diameter  from  If  inches,  .006  gauge  thick,  to  2f  inches,  .182  thick.  While 
hardened  and  tempered,  they  are  not  ground  or  polished. 

There  are,  of  course,  other  sizes  and  thicknesses  of  Slotting  Saws  for 
different  kinds  of  mechanical  work  requiring  the  cutting  of  slots,  but  the 
dimensions  mentioned  above  are  stock  sizes. 

Times  and  methods  change,  progress  being  ever  the  keynote,  and  while 
the  regular  solid  tooth  milling  saws  were  improved,  and  their  efficiency  in- 
creased, still  the  cry  came  for  "More  work  in  less  time."  This  naturally  led 
to  experiment  in  the  direction  of  Inserted  Tooth  Saws  for  cutting  metal,  for 
the  reason  that  in  this  pattern  of  saw  the  teeth,  being  separate  from  the 
blade,  could  be  made  of  a  different  quality  of  steel  and  hardened  to  a  much 
higher  degree  than  is  practicable  in  a  solid  tooth  blade,  and  greater  working 
results  achieved  thereby. 

Inserted  Tooth  Circular  Saws  for  sawing  metal  are  of  comparatively 
recent  origin ;  in  fact,  so  far  as  can  be  ascertained,  the  first  saw  of  the  kind 
made  and  used  in  the  United  States  was  that  manufactured  by  Henry 
Disston  &  Sons  in  1893  for  a  large  steel  works,  to  be  used  in  cutting  armor 


Fig.  24 

plate.  This  saw  (Fig.  24)  was  86  inches  in  diameter,  the  blade  1  inch 
thick,  and  cut  a  kerf  1&  inches  wide.  The  teeth  in  this  saw  were  made  of 
Mushet  steel,  the  forerunner  of  the  present  High-speed  Steel  referred  to 
previously.  Several  saws  of  this  pattern  were  successfully  operated  for 
some  time,  but  were  finally  discarded  owing  to  improvements  in  the  manner 
of  inserting  and  holding  the  teeth  in  place. 

Many  and  varied  were  the  suggestions  and  designs  looking  to  the  im- 
provement of  this  class  of  saw.  The  time  and  expense  consumed  in  making 
and  testing  each  of  the  patterns,  as  well  as  in  making  numerous  changes 

53 


Old  Saw  Mill  Using  Horse 

Power — Theatrum  Macli- 

inarum  Novum,  1662 


The  introduction  of  Water 
Power  into  the  Saw  Mill. 
The  real  beginning  of  the 
Modern  Power  Mill — The- 
atrum Macliinarum  Novum, 

IfiftZ 


and  variations  proved  necessary  by  service,  amounted  to  considerable;  par- 
ticularly as  the  experiments  extended  over  some  years. 

To  illustrate  some  of  the  stages  in  the  evolution  of  the  Inserted  Tooth 
Circular  Saw  for  cutting  metal,  Fig.  24  represents  a  section  of  the  pattern 
submitted  to  Disston  by  the  steel  works  for  the  86-inch  saw  referred  to. 
This  was  followed  by  the  Monarch  type.  Then,  from  time  to  time,  came  in 
the  order  named,  Regal,  Royal,  and  Fig.  25. 

Saws 'of  these  types  were  made  up  and  used,  but  continued  experiment- 
ing brought  out  the  pattern  shown  by  Fig.  26,  which  was  designed  by  the 
Master  Mechanic  of  Henry  Disston  &  Sons.  This  pattern,  however,  while 
never  used,  nevertheless  served  its  purpose  by  leading  to  a  modification  from 
which  the  Premier  type  was  evolved  at  the  Disston  Works.  The  Premier 
was  patented  March  5,  1907,  and,  by  comparison,  will  easily  be  seen  to 
represent  the  highest  and  most  efficient  type. 

Prior  to  this  time  the  question  of  steel  for  the  teeth  was  satisfactorily 
settled  by  the  invention  of  High-speed  Steel;  the  form  of  teeth  best  suited 
was  also  determined,  but  there  still  remained  the  perfecting  of  a  sure  and 
positive  method  of  fastening  the  teeth  in  the  blade  to  prevent  chattering 
and  coming  loose,  and  this  was  attained  in  the  Premier  Saw.  Therefore, 
standing  as  the  most  improved  type  of  metal-cutting  saw,  a  brief  descrip- 
tion of  the  make-up  of  the  "Premier"  is  worthy  of  note. 

The  sockets  in  the  blade  are  accurately  milled  to  shape,  and  are  made 
wider  across  the  bottom  than  at  the  top  on  account  of  the  inverted  wedge. 
This  wedge,  as  will  be  noted,  is  placed  in  reverse  position  to  wedges  in  other 
saws.  Thus,  when  adjusted  by  screw  shown,  even  if  the  screw  is  removed, 
and  the  saw  placed  in  operation,  it  has  been  ascertained  that  the  teeth  will 
not  come  loose.  In  the  working,  the  force  of  inserted  teeth  naturally  being 
outward,  in  the  Premier,  as  the  teeth  are  tapered  slightly  larger  at  the 


Regal  Teeth,  and  Section  of  Saw 

bottom  and  the  wedge  inverted,  the  tendency  of  the  force  mentioned  is  to 
make  the  teeth  still  tighter.  Then,  again,  the  wedge,  instead  of  being 
driven  down,  is  forced  upwards  in  the  tightening,  thus  backing  up  and 
strengthening  that  part  of  the  tooth  doing  the  cutting.  This  method  of 
fastening  the  teeth  in  the  Premier  permits  of  easy  adjustment  or  removal. 
The  teeth  are  of  Disston  High-speed  Self-hardening  Steel,  milled  from  a 
solid  bar,  and  toughened  by  a  special  process.  They  are  of  two  types,  as 


shown  in  illustrations.  The  round  top  tooth,  which  is  narrower  and  pro- 
jects slightly  beyond  the  oval  tooth,  breaking  the  way  by  cutting  a  groove, 
and  the  other,  an  oval  top  tooth,  following  along,  cuts  out  the  remaining 
sides  or  full  width  of  kerf  or  channel,  and  gives  sufficient  clearance  for  the 


Royal  Teeth,  and  Section  of  Saw 

blade.  This  manner  of  cutting  gives  three  narrow  chips  instead  of  a  single 
wide  one.  The  hook  on  the  fronts  of  teeth  is  formed  to  give  the  greatest 
rapidity  of  cutting,  and  rolls  the  chips  clear  of  the  cut.  These  teeth  are 
accurately  adjusted  to  the  height  desired  by  the  adjusting  screw  inserted 
in  plate  beneath  them. 


Monarch  Teeth  and  Section  of  Saw 

The  Premier  Saws  are  run  at  a  speed  governed,  to  a  great  extent,  of 
course,  by  the  kind  of  material  to  be  cut,  varying  from  40  to  60  feet  per 
minute,  rim  motion,  with  a  feed  up  to  If  inches  per  minute. 

From  the  very  first  the  actual  working  of  the  Premier  has  demonstrated 
that  it  is  the  ideal  saw  for  steel  foundries,  steel  forges,  railroad  work. 

56 


structural  work,  locomotive  works,  and  all  heavy  metal  cutting,  performing 
the  work  more  rapidly  and  with  greater  accuracy  than  Solid  Tooth  Saws. 

The  picture  on  page  48  shows  one  of  these  saws  in  operation,  giving  a 
very  clear  idea  of  its  appearance,  and  the  powerful  work  it  performs. 

Before  leaving  the  Premier  Saw  it  may  be  interesting  to  state  that  a 


Fig.  25 

special  saw  was  made,  72  inches  in  diameter,  containing  5G  teeth,  each  tooth 
being  made  of  High-speed  Steel  and  weighing  1  pound;  the  wedge  weighed 
£  pound,  thus  making  a  total  weight  for  the  teeth  and  wedges  alone  of  84 
pounds. 

The  wonderful  achievements  of  the  Premier  Saw  make  worth  while  the 
time,  thought  and  expense  given  to  its  invention  and  improvement. 

The  New  Disston  Spiral  Inserted  Tooth  Saw  for  cutting  all  but  the 
heaviest  metals  is  another  step  toward  efficiency  and  economy.  As  a  thin 
blade  is  used,  first  cost  is  lower,  and  as  less  metal  is  cut  this  saw  is 
economical  of  power. 

This  new  saw  is  of  a  high  Carbon  Crucible  Steel,  hardened  and  tempered 
plate,  with  High  Speed  Steel  teeth,  all  of  Disston  manufacture. 

Teeth  adjusted  and  set  in  place  on  a  spiral  to  secure  necessary  amount 
of  clearance  in  cut.  The  combinations  of  teeth  are  formed  to  give  the  best 
results  in  cutting  various  kinds,  sizes  and  shapes  of  stock. 

Teeth  are  held  in  place  with  wedges.  The  teeth  can  be  easily  dressed 
without  removing  from  saw.  It  is  only  necessary  to  dress  fronts  of  teeth 
to  secure  desired  results. 

In  the  lighter  work  of  metal  sawing  Band  Saws  are  used  for  the  reason 
that  small  pieces  can  be  fed  by  hand  instead  of  being  clamped,  and  thus 
the  work  is  quickly  accomplished. 

For  some  years  the  Band  Saws  used  for  this  work  were  hardened 
throughout,  but  this  did  not  permit  making  them  as  hard  as  was  required 
for  cutting  metal,  owing  to  the  fact  that  extremely  hard  bands  would  not 
stand  the  bending  and  straightening  in  going  over  the  wheels. 

Early  in  the  eighties  the  first  so-called  Flexible  or  Soft-back  Band 
Saws  were  made.  These  were  extremely  hard  on  the  tooth-edge  and  from 
there  to  the  back  were  not  hardened,  but  left  in  the  soft  state.  Thus  was 
overcome  the  difficulty  in  the  running,  and  not  only  that,  but  they  cost  less 
to  make,  and  the  user  profits  by  this  as  well  as  the  fact  that  the  saws  last 
longer  and  accomplish  more  work. 

The  Soft-back  Band  Saws,  of  course,  are  toothed,  sharpened  and  set 
before  being  hardened. 

57 


Round  Top 


Oval  Top 


View  of  socket  showing  screw  for 
regulating  the  height  of  tooth 


Section  of  Premier  Metal  Cutting  Saw 


They  are  usually  made  of  narrow  width,  from  £  to  f  inch,  and  from  25 
gauge,  or  .025,  to  21  gauge,  or  .32,  in  thickness.  In  length  they  vary 
according  to  requirements. 

This  type  of  saw  was  first  used  to  cut  shapes  and  forms  out  of  sheet 
iron,  but  is  now  used  by  manufacturers  of  castings,  machines,  bronze 
castings,  ship  and  engine  builders,  foundries,  etc. 

In  closing  this  description  of  Metal- cutting  Saws  and  referring  particu- 
larly to  the  larger  saws,  it  is  fitting  to  remark  that  the  advance  of  moder-n 
methods  has  been  great  in  the  working  and  use  of  iron  and  steel.  While 

the  saw  has  contributed  its  share  in 
no  small  measure  toward  this  advance- 
ment, still  due  credit  must  be  given  the 
manufacturers  of  the  machines,  in 
which  many  improvements  have  been 
effected,  making  possible  the  attain- 
ment of  highest  efficiency  and  results. 
The  description  of  metal-cutting 
saws  brings  to  a  close  the  story  of  the 
modern  types  of  saws — that  is,  the 
saws  we  see  in  use  about  us  to-day — 
and  concludes  the  history  of  the  saw. 
If,  in  the  light  of  what  we  have 
been  reading,  we  look  backward  again 
to  those  crude,  roughened  stones  which 
primal  man  used  before  history  was 
written,  it  is  amazing  to  see  the  won- 
derful advances  saws  have  made  in  a 
comparatively1  short  span  of  time. 
When  we  observe  the  ease  with  which 
the  teeth  of  a  modern  saw  cut  through  a  log  or  plank,  the  mind  is  inevitably 
led  to  make  comparisons,  and  it  seems  almost  inconceivable  to  us  that  a 
man  armed  only  with  one  of  the  primitive  stone  saws  of  antiquity  could  even 
dent  a  piece  of  wood — much  less  cut  it  off. 

But  great  as  is  the  variety,  and  wonderful  the  construction  of  modern 
saws,  there  are  none  which  better  illustrate  the  vast  advances  made,  nor 
draw  a  stronger  contrast  between  the  saw  as  it  was  and  as  it  is  to-day, 
than  the  modern  mill  saw. 

The  present-day  Band  Saw,  ranging  from  40  to  60  feet  in  length,  and 
12  to  18  inches  in  width,  slipping  through  massive  logs  with  a  speed  greater 
than  that  of  an  express  train,  has  become  such  an  every-day  matter  that 
few  realize  what  it  means  to  the  world,  or  what  the  saw-maker  has  done 
for  humanity. 

There  is  no  doubt  that  this  history,  which,  brief  as  it  is,  comprises  all 
that  is  known  of  the  saw  from  the  beginning  to  the  present  day,  will  open 
the  eyes  of  even  the  millmen  themselves  to  the  powerful  place  which  their 
business  occupies  among  the  world's  industries,  and  increase  their  respect 
for  the  men  who  have  strived  through  the  passing  years  to  perfect  the  Band 
and  Circular  Saw  to  the  point  where  they  became  capable  of  performing  the 
work  which  they  do  to-day.  There  is  no  class  of  men  more  deserving  of  the 
regard  and  praise  of  mankind,  or  more  entitled  to  the  credit  for  the  great 
advances  of  civilization,  than  the  men  who  design  and  manufacture  saws. 
The  truth  of  this  will  be  more  readily  realized  when  it  is  stated  that  there 
is  no  productive  activity  to-day  which  at  some  stage  of  its  development  does 
not  require  the  use  of  one  or  more  suitably  constructed  saws. 

It  is  to  the  lumber  mills,  then,  that  one  must  look  for  the  highest  and 
greatest  development  of  the  saw.  While  Hand  Saws,  and  the  many  other 
special  forms  of  saws  have  increased  in  variety,  efficiency,  and  appropriate- 
ness, the  advances  have  been  made  chiefly  in  slight  alterations  in  design,  and 
the  improvement  of  materials  and  processes.  With  the  Band  and  Circular 


Mill  Saws,  on  the  other  hand,  we  find  a  steady  advance  in  size  and  efficiency, 
as  well  as  in  all  the  other  attributes. 

Could  the  millman  of  other  days  who  struggled  with  his  up-and-down 
saw,  and  his  crude  Circular  Saw  of  improper  tension  and  limited  diameter, 
return  to-day  to  witness  the  sawing  operations  of  the  big  modern  mills  with 
their  gangs  of  Band  and  Circular  Saws,  he  would  be  astounded. 

These  mills  of  to-day,  employing  huge  Band  and  Circular  Saws,  should 
be  compared  in  your  mind's  eye  to  the  prehistoric  man  seated  under  a  forest 
tree,  and  devoting  many  hours  of  arduous  labor  to  the  severing  of  a  piece  of 
wood  that  would  appear  to  modern  eyes  ridiculously  small  in  contrast  to  the 
effort  required. 

These  great  plants  represent  the  final  development  of  the  saw  as  known 
to-day.  What  the  future  may  bring  forth  it  is  hardly  safe  to  predict,  but  with 
our  present  knowledge  of  materials  and  mechanical  stresses  it  seems  as  if  we 
were  approaching  the  limit,  and  that  these  mills,  and  the  saws  they  run,  will 
stand  for  all  time  as  among  the  greatest  achievements  of  the  saw-maker's 
art. 


i 


Four  Band  Gang  Saw  in  a  Modern  Mill 


On   Enthusiasm 


The  progress  of  any  work  is 
governed  largely  by  the  enthusi- 
asm with  which  it  is  done.  Es- 
pecially is  this  so  in  the  case  of 
young  persons  during  the  forma- 
tive period  of  their  careers. 
Nothing  inspires  and  maintains 
enthusiasm  like  success — nothing 
is  so  discouraging  as  repeated 
failure. 

Give  a  manual  training  pupil 
the  right  equipment — the  right 
tools  to  produce  good  work;  let 
him  learn  the  satisfaction  of  ac- 
complishment, and  he  will  be  fired 
with  enthusiasm  and  interest  in 
his  work,  impossible  under  the 
handicap  of  inferior  tools. 

Let  him  have  the  tools  that  the 
skilled  artisans,  in  his  chosen  line 
of  work  use  and  he  will  regard 
his  work  as  a  serious  business 
proposition. 

Disston  saws  and  tools  have 
set  the  highest  standard  of  quality 
for  three-quarters  of  a  century. 
They  are  the  choice  of  skilled 
mechanics.  They  are  the  logical 
preference  of  the  instructor  who 
realizes  the  value  of  success  as 
an  incentive  to  progress  in  his 
classes. 


61 


Disston  Standard  Shop  Equipment 


No.  80|  Gauge 

Made  of  hardwood;  oval  head,  with  brass  screw;  two  brass  strips, 
inlaid  in  the  face.  Steel  point.  The  oval  shape  of  the  head  enables  the 
student  more  easily  to  manipulate  the  gauge. 

No.  9  Screw  Driver 

Crucible  Steel  blade,  carefully 
hardened  and  tempered,  finished 
bright.  Tang  extends  through 
handle,  capped  end.  Handle,  with 
Rubberoid  finish,  affords  strong  and  comfortable  grip.  Long,  heavy  steel 
ferrule.  Rivet  extends  through  ferrule,  handle  and  tang,  and  is  headed 
on  both  ends.  A  strong,  durable  screw  driver. 

D-20  Hand  Saw 

The  lighter  weight  of  this 
saw,  also  its  excellent  balance, 
make  it  a  favorite  with  mechanics. 
Well  adapted  for  use  in  the  shop- 
room. 

No.  80  Cabinet  Saw 


One  edge  toothed  10  points 
for  ripping;  the  other,  15  points 
for  cross-cutting.  TVineh  hole 
in  end  for  hanging  up  saw. 

The  blade  is  securely  fast- 
ened in  handle  by  the  lever 
tightener,  which  permits  a  quick  reversal  of  the  handle  to  one  side  or  the 
other  according  to  the  tooth- edge  to  be  used. 

Especially   adapted   for    fine   work,    such   as    cabinet,    pattern    making, 
mitering,  etc. 

No.  14  Back  Saw 

One  edge  toothed  9  points  for  ripping;   the  other,   13  points  for  cross- 
cutting.     Heavy  steel  back,  wing-nut  and  lever  adjustment. 

Adapted  for  tenon- 
ing, shouldering,  dove- 
tailing, cog  cutting,  ^^^ 
or  any  purpose  where 
a  definite  depth  of  cut 
is  desired. 

All  Djsston  Tools  FuLly  Warranted 

02 


Disston  Standard  Shop  Equipment 


No.  5i  Try  Square 


Iron    stock,    nickel    plated,    tempered    steel   blade,   gradu- 
ated in  i^ths.     Perfectly  true,  inside  and  out. 


No.  4  Back  Saw 

A    dependable    saw    for    the    shop. 
Usually      furnished     with      teeth      for 

L..... , ,- ,,,_,v,>,vJ  cross-cutting,  but  can  be  made  with  rip 

teeth  if  desired. 

D-8  Hand  Saw 

The  original  Skewback  Saw, 
and  the  most  popular  saw  in  the 
world. 

The  peculiar  -shape  of  the  butt 
or  heel,  together  with  the  method      L 
of    fastening    the    polished    apple 
wood  handle  permits  full  sweep  of  the  saw  without  catching  in  the  work. 

Triumph  Saw  Set 

A  double  plunger  construction 
serves  to  grip  the  saw  blade  firmly 
while  the  tooth  is  being  set.  This 
feature,  with  the  visible,  open- 
head  design  prevents  slipping  and 
insures  accurate,  uniform  work. 
No.  28  for  hand  and  rip  saws;  No.  280  for  back  and  fine  tooth  saws. 

No.  36i  Hack  Saw  Frame 

Polished  apple  handle.  Nickel- 
plated  frame,  adjustable  by  half 
inches,  to  take  in  blades  8  to  12 
inches.  Reversible  stretchers,  will 
not  fall  out  while  readjusting. 
The  shape  of  the  handle  and  its 
application  to  the  frame,  insures  complete  control  and  does  more 
accurate  work. 

Disston  Files 

Made  of  Disston  Crucible  Steel,  carefully  forged.  Hardened  by  our 
Improved  Process.  Correctly  shaped  teeth.  The  most  durable  files  on  the 
market.  Made  in  every  shape  and  size  and  cut. 


All  Disston  Tools  Fully  Warranted 


Ancient  Saw  Mill  Worked  by  Hand  Power— Theatrum  Machinarum 
Novum,  1662 


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